


Trapped in the Eye of the Yiga

by bombingMission410



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: AU Master Kohga, Altered Mental States, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Anal Sex, Angst, BDSM, Begging, Blow Jobs, Bottom Link, Character Death, Cock & Ball Torture, Cock Bondage, Coming Untouched, Deception, Dirty Talk, Dom/sub, Dubious Consent, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Gaslighting, Good Boy, Humiliation, Hypnosis, Hypnotism, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, In Public, Light Bondage, Link is 17, M/M, Master/Slave, Mind Manipulation, Nipple Play, Obedience, Original Character(s), Porn With Plot, Possessive Behavior, Power Imbalance, Praise Kink, Psychological Horror, Psychological Torture, Smut, Spanking, Submission, Torture, Unhealthy Relationships, Yiga Clan - Freeform, Yiga Link, hypnokink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:15:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 68,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24403414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bombingMission410/pseuds/bombingMission410
Summary: An AU where Link was kidnapped and brainwashed into a member of the Yiga clan. Master Kohga is an AU version of the in-game character with a more sinister and conniving personality.For future readers: This fic started development before the announcement of Age of Calamity. At the time it remained unconfirmed if the Yiga indeed had the same life span as the Sheikah and so I wrote this fic under the assumption that since their split from the Sheikah the Yiga bloodline became less pure and thus lived shorter life spans by comparison to the Sheikah. Which played a big part in how I went about writing the Yiga clan. I know that since it's an AU it's a given that it won't follow the canon perfectly but I just wanted to shed some light on the matter.Started out as smut but then the worldbuilding attacked! So, first fanfic, wow this was fun to write. More to come that will explain how Link became a Yiga clan member. So fingers crossed it won't take too long to write.Feedback is greatly appreciated! Enjoy.My Instagram has a few drawings based on the ideas I got while writing this fic. Check it out if you need some more related content.https://www.instagram.com/mandrake.mora/
Relationships: Link/Kohga, Link/Master Kohga
Comments: 29
Kudos: 118





	1. Rewarding Your Champion

* * *

Prologue:

Dorian walked with dread through the backwoods of Kakariko village. The cold night air chilled his old bones to a painful ache. Though he made these trips periodically he could never get used to the trepidation it brought him. After crossing a small log bridge, he arrived at the usual rendezvous point. There was a moment of silence before he sensed the arrival of the man he’d been waiting for. A cloud of smoke followed by red talismans scattering in the wind and there he was, clad in a crimson body suit and a white mask bearing an abstract red eye, the leader of the Yiga clan.

“Master Kohga, you summoned me.” Dorian addressed the formidable assassin with begrudging respect.

“It’s good to see you again Dorian. Any new developments?”

“No Sir. As I reported before Lady Impa awaits the return of the champion.”

“Any chance they’ll go looking for him?”

“No Sir. It would seem she does not know his exact location, but has faith that he will make it to the village in due time.”

The powerful villain of a man swung back his head and let out a hearty chortle, “Faith is it? How preposterously amusing.”

“Will that be all Sir?” Dorian said as he kept his eyes lowered trying to maintain his stoic demeanor.

“Yes, that’ll be all. We’re done here Dorian.”

“Then if you’ll excuse me, Sir, I- "Dorian had just half turned when Kohga waved his hand flamboyantly.

“Ah wait! There is one more thing.” Despite the whimsy in Kohga’s voice Dorian braced himself for some dirty deed to be assigned to him.

“When I said, ‘we’re done’ I meant to say you’re off the hook.” Master Kohga said in a playfully light tone.

Dorian crooked an eyebrow, “Beg pardon Sir?”

Kohga gestured magnanimously, “You said you wanted out. Well I’m feeling gracious today.”

Dorian couldn’t believe his ears, “Y-you’re joking. You must be.”

“Oh Dorian, you always were so serious. Truth be told, I just have no use for you anymore.”

Dorian’s bewilderment vanished instantly and was replaced by a disturbing realization. Kohga raised his right hand and clasped his fingers together.

_Snap!_

Dorian had drawn his last breath as he was struck by two arrows from behind. One piercing the back of his head while the other bore at the center of his spine. He died instantly. His body collapsed to the ground with an unceremonious thud. Dorian the personal guardsman of Lady Impa and father of two daughters, was no more.

From the shadowy thicket his assailant emerged. Clear blue eyes devoid of remorse looked down at the presently lifeless body. Kohga placed a congratulatory hand on his pupil “Leave him be. There’s still more work to be done Link.”

* * *

Chapter 1: Rewarding Your Champion

The trip back to the hideout had taken them a little more than two days on horseback. With only a few hours in between each day to rest and eat. Once they reached the desert the rest of their journey was completed on foot. When Link saw the familiar sight of the wood clappers that preluded the entrance of the hideout, he felt a wave of relief. He was looking forward to some proper downtime: a hot bath and perhaps three or four bites to eat.

“Meet me in my quarters in ten minutes,” Kohga stated without waiting for an answer.

Link internally grumbled to himself, of course he was going to have to wait. Before following Master Kohga down the corridor into the heart of their camp Link took a quick side quest to rinse his face at a nearby washbowl. Whatever it was that Master Kohga wanted to talk about he hoped it wouldn’t take too long.

Link made his way through the hideout with little delay. Giving the other Yiga members small nods and waves as they welcomed him back. They asked him how their mission went and he assured them he’d tell them the details later.

He gave the door to Master Kohga’s room a polite knock then waited for permission to enter.

“Come in.”

Link came in quietly to what could only be described as the rather modest dwelling of the leader of the Yiga clan. With just the bare minimum of furniture: a wardrobe, a simple writing desk and an ordinary bunk, the room looked hardly lived in. And only a basic weapon’s rack to decorate the otherwise barren walls.

Kohga had yet to acknowledge Link’s presence as he was presently at his desk focused on recording the details of their recent mission. Most likely making plans for their next one Link figured. The young Hylian set down his duplex bow and his sickle against the wall behind him. No point in carrying them if he was going to be here for a while. In addition, he rolled down the fabric of his mask to make himself more comfortable. While he waited, he studied his master’s contemplative expression. It was a rare sight for Link to see his master with eyebrows so intensely furrowed and his eyes so focused that they seemed to be gazing into another world. It was strange, unsettling even because it almost felt like he barely knew this man despite all his years of training under him. Just as soon as the thought occured to him, Link tried to shake off the feeling.

Finally, Kohga stopped writing and looked over at Link. He didn’t say a word but let a nonchalant grin sprawl across his face. The prolonged silence was starting to get to Link, why was he suddenly feeling so tense? Kohga chuckled softly, clearly finding Link’s awkwardness entertaining. He rose from his seat and walked over to his pupil. He towered over Link making it very hard for Link to not feel intimidated. Was he about to get scolded? Link’s heart was racing. He thought he had done everything right on their mission. Why did he. . . his heart stopped when Link unexpectedly felt a hand placed on his shoulder.

“ **You’ve done well boy**.”

Every time it happened. Link would suddenly feel as though he had just woken up from a dream. One moment he’d be standing, the next without recalling when or how long ago, he would be on his knees. Any sounds that may have reached his ears became muffled, surrendering to his master’s voice. The strum of Master Kohga’s voice pulling him in, anchoring him and the words becoming the center of Link’s attention. Everything else faded away.

“You’ve met my expectations once again. You’ve been working hard I see. I'd say you're due for some well-deserved rest.”

Every word Master Kohga spoke had a calming effect on Link. It made it difficult for him to think beyond what was being said.

“Go ahead, rest your eyes.” Link could only listen. He could only obey. His eyes closed, with languid peace. It was as simple as breathing.

“Breathe deeply boy.” His lungs complied. He felt as if he was surrounded by Master Kohga, enveloped in his sound.

“Very good . . . continue just like that, relax.”

Link was weightless, lost in a dark void.

“You feel good now, don’t you boy?”

“Yes Sir.” He muttered listless and serene.

“You’re feeling grateful, isn’t that right?”

“That’s right Sir.”

“And how would you like to show your gratitude my dear boy?”

When did it start? A stirring in Link’s body was rapidly building up. Prodding him to want just one thing.

“I wish to please you, Master.”

As soon as he’d said it his breathing became heavy. Link’s body was yearning. He needed . . . and he needed to do it soon. Very soon in any way possible.

“Very well then, slacken your jaw my pet.”

Link obliged instantly. There was a moment of pause. How long was it? Five seconds? Five minutes? The delay was making the yearning grow more arduous. A dribble of spit began to slip down his chin.

“You’re quite eager,” Kohga observed beguiled.

“Yes.” A breathy response.

“Tell me my boy, does your body ache?”

“Yes.”

Link noticed he was struggling to keep still as he heard the casual shuffling of garments being unfurled. It kept building in him, a desire gradually bubbling with more fervor.

“Shall I give you what you crave?”

“ _Please._ ”

Link felt a hand cradle his cheek while unbeknownst to him a devilish grin spread across Kohga’s face.

“You fall apart so quickly my little savage. Perhaps you should beg.”

A whine escaped as Link spoke, “Please Sir, I-I need you.”

“What’s that? It doesn’t sound very convincing.” He mocked.

Link was burning. His chest was tightening, his nails were digging into his knees. He couldn’t comprehend what was coming over him. He couldn’t think he could only feel the desire taking hold of his body.

“Please Master I need you! I need you to take me! Use me. I need you, only you Master!”

“And why is that my pet?”

Every muscle in his body was becoming tight. It made him tremble with anticipation, while his breath became hitched.

“Because . . . I’m yours. This body belongs to you Master. Every breath I take was made for you. All to please you . . . now and always.”

Kohga caressed Link’s cheek with his thumb, savoring the sight of his obedient pupil’s face. Though his eyes were still closed Link looked like he was ready to cry at any moment. The sight brought Kohga to full hardness.

“Very well, I’ll give you what you so desperately need.”

Kohga reached for the back of Link’s head and tangled his fingers into blonde locks. The boy’s top knot loosening as Kohga pulled his face closer to him. The next moment Link’s mouth was being filled, the sudden thrusting caused him to gag reflexively. He quickly became accustomed to the movement and began softly moaning from the simulation.

“Open your eyes.”

Upon seeing his master looking down at him, Link was filled with a perverse sense of elation. He grew eager to take him in entirely. The boy doubled his efforts, massaging his master’s perineum with one hand and fondling his sack with the other. All while sucking the rest reverently, eager to take it all in. This was the man who trained him, molded him into an assassin and devout disciple; the least he could do was give him the satisfaction he deserved.

“That’s it, take it all in. Show me the depths of your gratitude.” He said, the grip on Link’s hair growing tighter.

Link switched to licking the shaft passionately with long strokes. He was determined to give his master as much pleasure as he possibly could. Knowing he was the source of that pleasure made Link’s own dick grow hard. Soon enough he found a rhythm between the two modes and every so often swirled his tongue teasingly at the head. It would earn him several hearty groans, so he gradually increased his pace. His master was close to release, so Link gave his master’s length full access to the back of his throat. There was barely any time to breathe but that didn’t slow him. He kept bobbing, worked faster giving him all the warmth of his mouth; while his hands clung to firm thighs to keep himself steady.

“Ah! If only you could see yourself. . . How beautiful you are, beneath me where you belong.”

_Yes._

_This is where I belong._

_This is what I was made for._

As Link’s elation grew his eyes glazed over. He could stay like this for hours, alas just as suddenly Kohga tugged him closer and held him in place moaning in ecstasy while Link received in full the warm fruits of his labor. The two remained fixed for a moment as their high washed over them. Once Kohga regained his breath, he loosened his grip on the boy’s head. Immediately Link gasped for air. Upon doing so he was able to swallow the rest of the warm fluid left in his mouth. While Link struggled to catch his breath Kohga lowered himself and embraced the boy with one arm.

“You were so good my pet.” He cooed sweetly before giving Link a gentle kiss on his forehead. Which garnered him a dainty moan from the boy still dazed with pleasure.

It could have been Link’s breathlessness, but those words made him feel even lighter. He reached out a shaky hand towards his master’s chest to regain stability. However, Kohga welcomed the boy’s hand with his own and instead pulled them both to their feet. It was only now Link noticed the growing discomfort around his crotch. Link winced as he tried to stifle a moan making his predicament all too transparent.

Kohga chuckled softly, amused by the boy’s indecent expression, “It would seem you have another matter that requires some attention.” He groped Link’s groin just to tease him more thoroughly.

“Would you like me to tend to it?” he whispered seductively in Link’s ear.

With nowhere to hide his flushed face Link only nodded furiously. The boy’s affirmation was so honest Kohga couldn’t help but laugh with devious mirth.

“Let’s find you a more suitable post.” Kohga easily lifted Link in his arms and carried him towards the bed. Kohga laid his pupil on his back to commence the tedious task of removing Link’s clothes. He turned the boy over like a doll onto his side, then brought him back to a kneeling position with Link’s back facing towards him. A sight that seemed to favor Kohga considerably. He started with the pauldrons, then opened the tight-fitting suit from the back and pulled it down his shoulders. Freeing a considerable amount of the upper body Kohga couldn’t resist teasing Links nipples. To his delight, the stimulation rewarded him with several delicious whines.

“Tell me what’s on your mind.” He said nuzzling Link’s ear.

Between whimpers, Link replied “Y-you of course.”

“What about me?”

The boy remained silent, the redness spreading across his face alluding to his shameful intrigues. “I w-want. . . I want you to. . .” Link stopped himself mid confession, wildly shaking his head. Abruptly deciding it would be too much if he spoke his desires aloud. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t! He had to hold on to some of his dignity! Nonetheless, Kohga reveled in this small attempt at defiance.

“Hmmm. You don’t want to tell me?" He spoke coyly, as he sluggishly fondled the boy’s sensitive nubs. Link responded with the same erratic head shake. To which Kohga laughed darkly and repaid the boy’s opposition with suddenly twisting his teats. Link shrieked in pain half regretting his choice to deny his master.

“You’re going to make me pry it out of you?”

Link couldn’t help but shiver, Kohga’s tone had a slight menacing timbre but what worried him more was the chuckle that accompanied his words.

“Please Master, don’t. . .”

Link’s plea fell on deaf ears as Kohga removed the rest of his garments with haste. Once done he undid Link’s top knot and proceeded to ravish him with a barrage of lustful kisses. Starting at Link’s neck, rapidly making his way down his chest and all the way down to Link’s thighs. To the boy, it felt like he was stealing his soul bit by bit. It made his cock throb more with need.

“I will get the truth out of you, and I’m going to enjoy making you scream.”

With that Kohga left Link lying on the bed and walked towards the desk on the other side of the room. The loss of contact was distressing, but more so was the vague menace that Kohga had just ascribed. Link propped himself up to try to see what Kohga was doing. He heard a drawer open and after a bit of scuffling, he saw Kohga return with a small bottle and a couple of hemp threads. Something was dawning on Link, but what he couldn’t tell for certain. He knew that he was right to feel anxious like he had seen this play out before. But then why did the details elude him? It was like he was searching for a memory that was lost in a fog.

“Master? You don’t have to- “

“It’s a little late for regret my love.”

He placed the bottle on the bed then climbed onto it. He loomed over Link, studying the nervous look in his eyes. He drew himself closer to the boy’s face and whispered, “You need not worry my boy, I won’t break you. . . not yet at least.”

Kohga went in for the kill, enveloping Link’s mouth with his tongue. The kiss took Link by surprise, but he admittedly found the sensation exhilarating. Link reciprocated Kohga’s intense passion, lending him his tongue and giving him leverage over his mouth. While Link was distracted Kohga caressed Link’s arms and raised them above the boy’s head. With deft hands, he took one of the threads and secured Link’s hands together. He gave Link’s lower lip a little nibble before parting from him. Noticing his newly bound hands Link gave Kohga an annoyed look. To which Kohga responded with an unapologetic smirk. Thereafter Kohga re-positioned himself closer to Link’s robust hips.

“Hold still.” He commanded matter-of-factly. He took the second thread, first wrapping it snugly around the base of Link’s length and then behind his balls. Thereafter, he twisted the two ropes together and brought them up and between Link’s balls squeezing them tightly. Finally, he coiled the rest of the remaining thread artfully around the shaft and once more behind his sack. Satisfied with his work he gave Link’s head a chaste kiss which made the blonde whine pathetically. Kohga left the bed once again, but this time to finish removing his own garb. When he returned, he opened the bottle he had set aside and poured some of the oily liquid in his hands.

Suddenly Link reflexively felt the need to tuck in his knees and hold his legs tightly close together as if trying to protect himself. His effort ended up being futile as Kohga simply spread them apart with such ease it caused the boy to turn bright red. Despite wanting to please his master this all felt like too much.

The way Kohga stared back at Link filled him with an unbelievable amount of shame. He couldn’t bear it but not because he was ashamed of serving his master. No. He had no objections about that. He was loathed to admit it, but in all honesty, Link was enjoying himself. Utterly relishing in being at the mercy of his master. He wanted more. Desperately wanted more but he couldn’t accept the thought of asking for it. These desires were twisting him and all he could think to do was try to deny them. Alas, his body would betray him, as his arousal was made apparent by the faint twitching of his cock.

“You should be more honest, Link. Like your body, it can’t lie to me.” He gave Link a kiss on the boy’s delicate jaw while teasing the rim of his hole with his right thumb.

“I’m not ly- “Link interrupted himself with a sharp gasp. Kohga had inserted his index finger into Link’s rectum.

“Let’s start small, shall we?” Kohga gently prodded the inside of Link with his finger, stretching the boy out.

“Who do you belong to?” He whispered into Link’s neck, biting and sucking aiming to leave it blemished.

“You," Link couldn’t refrain from moaning, “ _Master._ ” Kohga knew just how to set his heart aflame.

“And to what extent do you obey me?” Kohga added a second finger, smoothly curling them against Link’s inner flesh, just short of grazing a sensitive spot.

“ _Completely!_ ” His moan turned shrill.

“ **Good boy**.”

Link’s heart skipped. Those words were ecstasy to his ears.

“You want to be good for me isn’t that right?” Kohga said as he continued defiling the boy’s neck with his tongue.

“Yes Sir, more than anything.” He wailed pitifully as he felt the pressure around his bound cock grow tighter.

“Then be a good pet and tell me, what is it you yearn for.”

Link gazed into the golden irises of the man before him. He wanted him. There were too many things he wanted Kohga to do to him. The shame of them making his face grow hotly flush, but he couldn’t resist his master’s command any longer. He needed to obey so with bated breath he whispered, “ _Touch me_.”

Their mouths met with burning passion and Kohga fulfilled Link’s request by wrapping his left hand around Link’s fettered cock. He stroked Link slowly which made him give several blissful moans. Had he not been bound; Link would’ve come right then and there. Kohga savored Link’s tongue and the warmth of his breaths. He wanted to engulf him, bury his tongue down the boy’s throat just to feel the vibrations of his groans even more. But he also longed to hear him scream.

“ **Good boy**. See how good it is to do as I ask?”

Link could only wail in pleasure as Kohga continued to stroke him. He felt pain from the restriction but in turn, it was intensifying the pleasure he received. The vicious cycle left his senses wracked with lust. It was nothing short of maddening. On the other end, Link was now sufficiently prepared to take in his master. Kohga applied more of the lubricant onto his hand and spread it onto his cock.

“Are you ready for me, my little savage?”

“Yes. I need you inside me, Master.”

The anguish in Link’s voice sent sparks to Kohga’s groin. He gave himself a few strokes, and with just the thought of filling the boy with his cock, he became erect in no time. Kohga leveraged Link’s hips and entered him carefully, while Link turned his head to the side anxious for what was coming.

“Relax my sweet boy. Don’t forget to breathe.”

Kohga’s gentle command was one Link sorely needed. Despite his excitement, he reflexively tensed from the external pressure. He tried to follow his master’s order, but his breaths were haphazard. As a result, Kohga shifted his left hand to better support the full weight of Link’s hips so that he could free his right hand and use it to caress the boy’s face.

“Look at me. Take deep breaths.”

Link couldn’t understand why but the touch of Kohga’s hand on his cheek sent a comforting warmth to his skin. While Kohga’s eyes froze him, reminding him how helpless he was. And yet being held like that and holding onto his master’s gaze gradually brought him back to an untroubled state. He remembered he had nothing to fear. Link trusted his master completely and utterly.

“Attah boy, just like that.”

Seeing Link like this, the way his lower lip would quiver, his hair matted with sweat, and how the scarlet of his cheeks reached to the points of his ears, it made Kohga want to just ram the boy to oblivion. And while the temptation to do so was great he had to restrain himself. As cruel as he was capable of being, it would be more fun to let the boy regain some sense of ease before putting him through more torment. So, he held back for now.

With each gentle push he gradually buried himself deeper inside the boy he began losing himself in the satisfaction of having complete reign over the boy. Slowly rocking back and forth, he let out a deep groan, “Hah, so damn tight.” Kohga leaned in for another kiss, “Are you ready to take more for your master?”

“Yes Sir, I can handle it,” he said despite the obvious strain in his voice. Link hooked his tied hands around Kohga. If his master was close to him, he could handle anything. Taking Link’s words as enough confirmation Kohga picked up the pace, the sound of skin slapping skin was like a drum accompanying their grunting.

“That’s it. Such a **good boy** you are, taking me all in like a filthy slut.”

“Ahh! O-only for you Master!”

“That’s right, you’re _my_ slut and you’ll never feel this good with anyone else.”

Link’s head was reeling, the sensation was overwhelming, while Kohga gave in to his own lust. Link’s ass was truly a gift, the way it squeezed Kohga’s cock was heavenly and he could no longer contain his desire. He advanced to a breakneck pace, bucking with reckless abandon, all the while Link's groans became louder and uneasy. Pounding Link’s hole with unrestrained force; Kohga was close now, so close to release. . .

“Please! Please Master stop! I can’t! It’s too much. . .” Link’s sobs for mercy brought Kohga to a halt.

“Does it hurt?” He spoke softly.

“Yes.” the boy squeaked, his eyes tightly shut, and his mouth formed into a grimace indicative of his pain. Kohga withdrew himself from the boy. The change caught Link by surprise. He suddenly wasn’t sure if this was better and it made him panic, “Please Master don’t go! I’m sorry I can- “

Kohga placed two fingers on the boy’s lips, “Shh. It’s alright pet. I’m not leaving. I will never leave you, my dear boy.” Kohga gave him another kiss to reassure him. He then took the boy’s hands and untied them.

“You’re not mad?” He mumbled, holding back tears of pain.

“I needn’t be as long as you obey me. Now hold on to me.”

Link wrapped his arms around Kohga’s broad shoulders and was hoisted from behind. In one swift move, Kohga swapped their positions. Kohga now laying on the bed while Link was straddling his thighs.

“When you’re ready,” Kohga had a greedy look in his eyes, “you’re going to ride my cock with that tight ass of yours.”

Link gawked at his master’s erect cock; he was going to put that thing inside of him . . . yeah should be easy enough right?

“You know, the longer you wait the longer it’ll be before you’re allowed to come.” Kohga flicked Link’s bound cock mockingly. It made Link yelp as he was reminded of his own throbbing groin. He looked behind himself and grabbed the small bottle to pour more of the liquid onto Kohga’s length. He looked determined as he rubbed down Kohga and used the last of it to re-slick himself. He squatted over Kohga and lowered himself carefully until he’d successfully sat with the entire thing gorging his ass. He heard Kohga give a deep rousing sigh. While Link had his eyes tightly closed trying to keep the brimming sensation from overwhelming him. To his surprise his muscles were able to gradually relax in this position. Relieved from the lessened pressure Link was able to steady his breathing. Kohga then brought his hands around Link’s lower back and began to massage the area. It was soothing and the boy repaid the gesture by grinding his hips in a circular motion. He started out small then quickly gained more confidence in his movements. His master’s groans grew louder as his maneuvers became more precise, finding the right ebb and flow to it. Seeing his master enjoying himself made Link brim with pleasure. This felt so good, so right to be pleasing his master. He’d wish he could always be like this. And he feared the thought of being without him.

“So beautiful,” Kohga said admiring Link’s sweaty and radiant naked body. His back was slightly arched, baring his chest forward. A sight of raw helplessness and all for Kohga’s satisfaction.

“Master?” Link gave a shy whimper.

“Yes, my little savage?”

“I w-want to come.”

Kohga gave Link’s bottom a sharp slap. “Is that hole of yours filled with my seed?!” He growled sternly.

“N-no Master.”

“Then why do you ask for what you haven’t earned?”

“I’m sorry master. I just c-can’t help it.”

“Can’t help being a horny slut?”

_Smack!_

“Y-yes, I’m sorry Sir.”

“Sorry for what?” He spoke wickedly while digging his nails into the boy’s reddening cheeks.

“I’m sorry for being a horny slut.” He said burning with shame.

“Is that what you call an apology? Try harder.”

“F-forgive me Master for being a dirty slut! I deserve to be punished I don’t deserve you. I’m nothing but a hole to be filled.”

“That’s right boy, you’re just a pretty little slut and you’d do well to remember your place.”

“I will, I promise Master!”

“ **Good boy**. Now since you’re such a horny slut why don’t you move like one?” He said giving Link another harsh slap on the boy’s plump ass. He adored tormenting Link and hearing the boy’s cries was music to his ears.

“Y-yes, Sir!”

Despite his worries about feeling more pain again, Link willed himself to ride Kohga’s cock up and down with bold vigor. To his relief he no longer reached the same kind of pain as before, still, the pressure of his inner walls expanding and contracting at such a fast rate was causing his mind to blank. He kept bouncing up and down, soon enough his thighs were burning. He continued moving his body, panting and grunting focusing on nothing else but his master’s length inside him.

“That’s more like it.” A rough groan escaped from Kohga’s lips.

He took a fist full of Link’s hair, tugging just hard enough to get another yelp from the boy. But before Kohga could come, Link’s stamina gave out. His arms collapsing under his weight leaving his head to fall onto Kohga’s chest.

“I’m. . . sorry. . . Master.” Link huffed miserably with Kohga’s dick still inside him.

"Damn, you really had me going." Kohga sighed with disappointment. "Catch your breath and then pace yourself."

Link nodded between heaving breaths. Upon seeing the boy's ragged face Kohga's disappointment was quickly replaced by pity for the boy. He sweetly patted Link's head, "It's alright pet, you'll gain endurance with more practice."

"Yes. . . Sir." Link heaved only half paying attention to his master's words. He knew that he should be giving his master his full attention, but he was just too tired now. He barely remembered where he was. Only aware of his master's broad chest and the warmth of his skin, it was enough to anchor Link to the present moment. But he was beginning to fade, fatigue threatening to lull him to sleep.

"Now, now," Kohga said squeezing around Link's poor aching cock, causing him to wail pitifully. The pain jolting the boy out of his torpid state, "You can rest after you finish servicing me, understood?"

"Yes, Sir." the boy replied weakly.

Kohga kneaded the boy's lower back once again, the sensations rendering Link helpless as more lewd sounds escaped from his throat. He was tired so tired, physically and emotionally but Kohga’s hands were experienced he couldn’t resist how good his muscles felt being pulled and rubbed in all the right ways. He wanted to come. He needed it so desperately now.

“Come on now Link, don’t you want sweet release? Or are you actually enjoying this more?”

“Nooooo, I-I . . . want to come.”

“Hmm, I’m not so sure. The way I see it you’re quite enjoying this aren’t you? I think, you really do want to be tortured. You want me to mess you up so thoroughly that you won’t want it to end.” He said as he wrapped his hand around Link’s cock once again palming it coyly.

“N-no that’s not true.”

“You won’t be able to tell the difference between the pain and the pleasure and you’ll beg for more. You just want to beg like a desperate whore. That’s what you are, isn’t that right?” Kohga taunted squeezing the boy until he cried out in agony.

“No, stop it!”

Kohga gave a sinister laugh, “Well then go ahead and prove me otherwise.”

Kohga relinquished his grip on the boy, allowing Link to sit up. The boy shivered at having the still erect cock fully penetrate him once again. He moved his hips like before but set a slower pace for himself. While he worked his hips, he lingered on Kohga’s last words. Was it true? Was the pain becoming more pleasurable? Link had protested but with his dick so tightly bound he was starting to question it. He should’ve been incapable of moving if it was so agonizing or in tears by now. Yet his cock had twitched when his master had spoken those words to him. He felt a dark shameful pit in his heart. The more he repeated those words in his head the more he felt his heart beat faster. He hated himself for it.

“I’m not a whore.” Link mumbled to himself.

Kohga had been adrift in his bliss when he barely noticed the boy had spoken, “What was that pet?”

Link hesitated. His expression indignant when he spoke, “I’m not a whore.”

Kohga couldn’t help but laugh, which only made Link even more vexed.

“Oh! Is that so?” His voice dripping with sarcasm.

“So, then you wouldn’t like it if I did this?” He placed both hands firmly on Link’s ass then thrust himself forcefully into the boy. Link cried out, feeling like he had just been struck by lightning. The shock causing him to fall on his elbows.

“Oh? Did that feel good?”

Link was too slow to respond. Kohga gave another thrust aiming at a slightly more inward angle, causing Link to groan intensely.

“Nuh, Master wha?!” His moans were leaving Link short of breath, he could hardly form his words.

_How is this?! It feels so, so . . .?!_

Link felt like his entire body had been set aflame with white-hot fire that scorched him through his flesh down to depths of his being. It was unreal, his blood felt electric, his mind couldn’t keep up with the sensations. He was losing his sense of reason. He was losing himself.

“You know you wanted this all along. You just wanted me to break you.”

It was over now. Kohga dropped the pretense, he rolled Link over pinning him on his back and fucked him like an animal. He ravished Link’s neck, biting his sweet flesh. Leaving him marked as proof of his ownership. He assaulted Link’s body with all his carnal desires. Gratifying himself relentlessly all while continuously hitting that spot that sent Link into unraveled ecstasy. Burying himself, again and again, unyielding in his fierce barrage giving everything, and Link fully accepting, submitting to his master. Crying in agonizing pleasure, shaking in rapture, and his mind shattering in bliss.

Kohga came like a force of nature, one final slam into Link and he released inside him. Then without parting from the boy he released Link’s cock from his threaded prison. Link didn’t hear his voice as it rushed out from his stomach to his head. His whole body shook uncontrollably but all he felt was bliss. The last thing he remembered was his master’s face before his vision went completely white.

"Sweet dreams my dear champion."


	2. A Rude Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, here comes the plot.  
> Link and his fellow Yiga prepare for a celebratory banquet. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy the new developments and of course it means a lot to me to hear your comments so don't be shy it really helps me put forth my best. ^u^  
> Thanks again for reading!

A soft warm glow of the various reds and yellow lanterns illuminated the cavernous walls of the natural hot spring. With only a few small cracks in the sedimentary rock to allow sunlight in, the cave’s dim lighting gave the constant impression of dusk. The trickling of water and the relaxed breathing of the current patrons were the only sounds to be heard in this peaceful onsen.

Kohga sat with his legs sprawled and his back reclined comfortably against the smoothed wood that outlined the edges of the hot tub. The near-boiling water was superb, melting away the stress lodged in his muscles. Truly, his forefathers had been wise to make this ancient Gerudo temple their base of operations. The only thing that made this moment better was the fact he had the young Hylian curled up in his lap. With Link’s head resting on his broad chest Kohga had the privilege to bask in the serene expression of Link's face who was sound asleep. He had one hand wrapped around Link’s waist while the other lightly brushed the hair around Link’s temple.

He would’ve liked to have caressed the boy in more sensual areas, however, they had company at the moment. Sitting just a couple feet across from them was Borhan, one of the elder members of the clan and former mentor to Kohga, he had white bushy eyebrows and a matching mustache. Kohga pretended to not notice the subtle frown on his face whatever Borhan was thinking he didn’t want to hear it, he just wanted to enjoy himself.

“Must you tempt fate with such arrogance?” The old man gestured to the boy in Kohga’s lap.

Kohga lolled his head back in annoyance, _Sigh, here we go._

“Borhan can’t we just relax in silence?”

The old man huffed surly, “It’s the two of you who can’t be quiet.”

“Don’t give me that” Kohga said rolling his eyes.

“Wouldn’t be surprised if the whole of Gerudo town heard all your racket.”

“It’s a shame you haven’t gone deaf, yet old man.” He retorted.

“Indeed. Though it wouldn’t bring me enough comfort, seeing as I must also watch you go blind as well.”

“I know what I’m doing. I have everything under-”

“Control? Bah! You cannot control destiny.”

“Don’t make me laugh. Destiny can go fuck itself.”

“Don’t say I never warned you.”

“Can’t thank you enough for all the incessant nagging over the years.”

“Well,” he said sullenly, “you won’t have to hear it anymore.”

Kohga’s eyebrows furrowed.

“I’m retiring Kohga. I’ll be leaving after tonight.”

“You? Retiring?” Kohga could hardly believe it. He thought for sure the stubborn old goat would’ve thrown his life away in battle rather than retire.

“I know, I know I said I’d never retire but, I’ve fulfilled my duty. You’ve succeeded your father and taken down the leader of our greatest enemy. You’ve proven you can handle yourself. So, there’s no reason for me to watch over your shoulder anymore. Even if you are being a damned fool.” Borhan’s eyes grew soft, “I know you can handle whatever else comes next.”

There was nothing Kohga could say. Borhan’s genuine praise was certainly something he didn’t expect to hear in his lifetime.

“But you really should do something about all the noise. I mean honestly, Kohga have some discretion for these kinds of things.”

Kohga smirked, “But if you’re leaving, why bother now right?”

Borhan scoffed as he stood up “Just don’t come crying to me when they discover the hideout because of your nonsense.” The elder man waded through the hot water, but just before he made his exit, Kohga spoke to him softly, “Borhan . . . Thank you.” The old man gave Kohga a fraternal pat on his shoulder and then left. Kohga felt bittersweet for a moment, reminiscing the countless memories of them sparing, training, and eating poor meals after failed missions. He never thought he’d say goodbye to his mentor in such a peaceful manner, especially after all the trouble he’d caused him over the years. When he became the leader of the clan, Borhan gradually became the occasional voice of reason to Kohga’s ambitious schemes. He realized now how much he had taken his presence for granted.

Change was inevitable, Kohga concluded to himself. He turned his attention to his sleeping champion. It would probably be best to wake him now. The onsen was communal after all, sooner or later more Yiga would come to partake in the warm bath.

“ **Link, you have left the dark room.** ”

Slowly, Link’s eyelids lazily peeled open. He blinked a few more times as his consciousness gradually returned. He didn’t move just yet; his mind was still slow, and it hadn’t registered its new surroundings. He closed his eyes once again thinking he must still be dreaming. After all, his pillow felt strangely firm but still soft and he felt warm all over. Warm and... wet? Water? Link reawakened slightly addled, looking up realizing his pillow was not a pillow and seeing Master Kohga’s face. _Master Kohga? Wait. Skin?!_ Suddenly his senses were flooding with a new realization. Link looked down, becoming very aware of his nakedness and his master’s . . . _Oh no._

Completely flustered, Link flailed and fumbled out of Kohga’s lap and, unintentionally plunged back into the water in his hasty attempt to put distance between both of their naked bodies. Kohga couldn’t contain his boisterous laugher as he watched Link haphazardly sink into the spring, “I think I’ve seen cuccos with more grace.”

“M-master! What am I, what’re you-”?

“Careful Link, you dropped your towel.” Kohga fished out a white towel that had fallen next to him. He wrung out the water before folding it neatly and placing it back on Link’s head. It wasn't bad enough Link had panicked but for Kohga to remain so aloof sent the boy’s blood rushing to his cheeks faster than he could say, well anything. So instead he withheld a response and vented his embarrassment via spurting a small batch of angry bubbles in the water.

Then it dawned on him, “Wait . . . Master how did I get here?” the young Hylian inquired.

“You passed out while I was debriefing you on the mission, so I brought you here.”

 _I passed out? I don’t remember_ . . . The panic in his voice quickly returned, “Wait, so then . . . you undressed me?!” Link wrapped his arms around his torso as if it would be enough to cover his nakedness, it was the best he could do given the situation.

“Don’t be so dramatic Link, we’ve seen each other naked plenty of times.”

“That’s not the same, I wasn’t unconscious!” Link glared defensively.

“I couldn’t just leave you there. I was worried you’d get sick. Are you feeling better?”

Link paused for a moment, checking in with himself. The warm water was comforting, and the weariness in his muscles had significantly subsided. All in all, physically he felt much better. He felt slightly embarrassed for getting so upset, Master Kohga was just concerned for his wellbeing. There was no harm in that right?

“I am, but please Master don’t ever do that again.” The boy spoke shyly still covering himself.

“Alright, alright. I won’t ruffle your feathers.” Kohga said with a jesting grin.

“Sh-shut up!” Link splashed Kohga, purely annoyed that the man could tease him so easily.

Kohga playfully splashed the boy back, “Is that any way to address your leader?”

Link retaliated with a bigger wave, forgetting his anger. Why was it always like this with Master Kohga? The man seemed to take very little seriously. He especially seemed to have a knack for turning a dispute into a joke. Was he always this carefree or was it just with him? Whatever the case his easy-going nature was quite infectious.

“You guys are having a water fight? Without us?!” Link stopped and looked up at the scrawny, tan-skinned, and black-haired girl that had arrived to join them.

“Ridah, shouldn’t you be preparing for tonight?” Kohga asked his young Yiga with a condescending tone.

“Shouldn’t you?” she responded sounding equally as snooty. Without hesitation, she cannonballed into the water.

“Ha-ta-ta-ta-ck!” Ridah shook and clattered her teeth as her body went into shock due to the dramatic change in temperature.

“Ugh, Ridah quit acting like an imbecile.” Said a slender young man who had arrived with Ridah.

“Hey, Endai.” Link greeted. He wore a frown that was weighed by the burden of having to put up with Ridah’s antics one too many times.

“Hey Link, Master Kohga” he nodded casually, “How was the mission?”

“We’re celebrating dummy how do you think it went?” Ridah lashed.

“I know that. I wanted to hear how they took out their targets, you simpleton.” Endai rebuked crossing his arms as he slowly entered the spring.

“Easy Endai, you know she can’t help being an idiot.” The reply came from behind them from a dark-skinned young man.

“Heeeey! You have no right saying that Teru.” The impish girl countered.

“Fine, just shut up already some of us actually come here to relax believe it or not,” Teru replied taking a seat far from the group, surreptitiously eyeing the mark on Link’s neck.

Moving on from the verbal scuffle Kohga addressed Endai’s earlier query, “Well, I was planning on waiting till the feast to tell the whole story but if you must know Link here had the great honor of slaying the old hag.” Ridah and Endai looked at Link with pure admiration. It wasn’t unusual for Link to get this sort of attention from his peers, yet he was unable to become accustomed to it.

“So, in other words, Link did all the work.” Teru discerned rather admonishingly.

“Well I wouldn’t say he did all the work, but you know he did do a lot,” Kohga admitted.

It always surprised Link to hear their leader take such flak from his subordinates so casually and with such humor. It was something that made their unit really feel like some bizarre family and not a deadly organization of assassins. To have a leader who despite being the top authority of the group, but never using that power to put himself above his subordinates outside of the work setting made Link both feel lucky and admire Kohga’s leadership.

“I’ll tell you all more later, better make sure Mito doesn’t mess with the bananas for tonight.” Kohga promptly got up to leave the bath. He caught Link turning his head away from him just as he stood up. Making the cause for his sudden shyness quite obvious to Kohga.

Once Kohga was gone the four young Yiga reposed for a while in silence. The calm of the hot spring gave Link a moment of quiet peace to reflect, however, his mind was making the process less than pleasant. His thoughts recalled the events of the mission but that only brought him anguish. He thought about the feast but knowing all the eyes that would be on him made him grow anxious. In the end, his thoughts brought him back to Master Kohga. Their time together during the mission. How he’d been kind enough to accompany him on a short excursion before heading back to the hideout. Was he being naïve thinking he’d do that for anyone else? And then waking up with him in the bath. _That was not so normal . . . Why did I get so?_ Link banished the thought. He told himself he was being absurd. He shouldn’t be lingering on those thoughts; it was useless after all.

“Hey, Link,” Ridah’s chipper voice pulled Link out of his head. “Did you bring anything for the feast?”

“Oh . . . yeah, I uh brought some cane sugar and asked Golen to make some fried bananas with it.”

Ridah shrieked and splashed around herself with unbridled glee, “Fried bananas?! Eeeee! yes! Thank you, thank you, Link! Ooooooohoho! I can’t wait!”

“Link’s famous fried bananas? Hmm...I hope I get to try some this time, they always run out so fast.” Endai mused.

“Yeah, I noticed that so I made sure to bring extra sugar, so they could make more this time.”

“In that case, we should go to the banquet hall early.” Teru assessed.

“I would’ve liked to have stayed here longer, but I suppose you’re right.” With a heavy sigh, Endai followed Teru out of the bath. Agreeing with her comrades Ridah bolted and was quickly vanishing from view.

“Aren’t you coming Link?” Endai paused looking back.

“Oh um, right.” Link got up and followed suit hoping the feast would at least be a half pleasant distraction.

Though the feast was officially yet to commence the banquet hall was already bursting with energy. The walls had been decked out with plenty of red and white decorative banners. Additional lanterns ranging from various sizes had been lit. The tables were covered with patterned cloths and even had small desert flower arrangements just to give them that little extra something to the reception. Clearly the clan had gone all out for this celebration and there was still yet to see all the dishes that would be served for tonight.

Link heard Ridah pestering Golen over the placement of the fried bananas so that she could be the first to get her hands on them. Golen was a stout elderly man, the resident cook of the clan and he was trying his best to have the banquet hall ready and put up with Ridah’s shenanigans.

“Hey Link, over here.”

Link made his way over to a table where Endai was putting out plates and chopsticks.

“Help me out with these, will ya, these things can be such a hassle.”

“We’re just setting the table though.”

“Any work is too much work Link.” The green hair youth said lazily.

In no time at all the two of them completed their task and with the help of the others, the whole dining area was now ready. The rest of the clan started pouring in. The usually vacant banquet hall was quickly becoming tightly packed with about four dozen Yiga eager to party. Several of them were wearing slightly more fancy get-ups than their usual casual clothes and others had put in a little more time into fixing their hair. It made Link feel a little underdressed in his very simple red tunic and comfortable boy shorts.

Link saw Ridah waving her arm enthusiastically signaling to him to come over quickly. He made his way over careful to not shove anyone and took the seat next to Ridah. Endai and Teru arrived shortly after and took a seat at opposite ends of the table.

“So, this is where the fried bananas will be served right?” Endai asked his voice ever so slightly cracking.

“Yes! I made Golen promise to serve them here. He’s a smart old man he knows better than to disappoint me.” Ridah had a devious smile on her face which could only mean she would get exactly what she wanted.

Link slightly jumped in his chair when he felt a sudden hand being placed on his shoulder. When he looked behind him, he saw Kohga in an elegant red yukata, adorned with a golden eye pattern around the borders of the fabric.

“Oh Link, you’ll be sitting next to me tonight. You are the honoree of tonight’s celebration after all.” Kohga’s voice was friendly but the grip on his shoulder told Link this wasn’t up for discussion.

“Of course, gotta keep your pet on a short leash,” Teru commented snidely, locking eyes with Kohga.

_Pet?_ Teru’s remark made Link feel painfully awkward. Had he unknowingly offended his comrade at some point? It wasn’t like Teru to make a scathing remark for no reason.

“Ha-ha! Very funny, come on Link.” The man said, nudging the boy.

“Oh, uh of course Master.”

“Oh come on Link, it’s a party! Lighten up! Do me a favor and lose the honorifics.” Kohga bemoaned while giving the young Hylian a strong pat on the back.

“R-right sorry ma-, uh sorry.”

Kohga sighed unsurprised by the boy’s lack of informality.

“I guess I’ll see you guys later.” Link gave a curt wave to others who returned the sentiment.

Link followed Kohga to the back of the room where they took their seats on a curtained dais. The raised platform with a throne-like structure and its resplendent cloth that draped the sides of the dais sold the air of importance for those who were seated there. Link wished he could’ve stayed seated with the others since he was hard-pressed to believe he was truly deserving of the position he now found himself in. He looked over to Kohga who seemed as calm and confident as ever; Link couldn’t help but envy the man’s radiant aura.

Once everyone had been seated Kohga stood to address the crowd, “My fellow Yiga, as many of you know, I, your humble and handsome leader have waited many years for this moment. I am so grateful to have each and every one of you. Without your hard work, your endless dedication, and your boundless tenacity we would not be here. So tonight, let us celebrate with no moderation the death of Impa and the dozens of Sheikah scum that were once the residents of Kakariko Village. Tonight’s feast is your reward for being my greatest of allies and my ruthless family.” Kohga raised his fist into the air exclaiming proudly, “Beware the eye of the Yiga!” The whole room victoriously chanted back “Beware the eye of the Yiga!”

“Bring forth the feast!” Kohga gestured to the side where Golen was waiting with two large trays of food in each hand and a small procession followed behind him with more trays. A grand assortment of fare was shared on every table, from meaty rice balls to meat skewers, to crab risotto and bread. All featuring the Yiga’s favorite yellow fruit: bananas. Link saw the glee on Ridah’s face once the tray of fried bananas was placed at her table. It made him glad he made the effort to get the sugar on their way back from the Necluda region. Once all the food had been brought out people started getting up from their seats to grab their cuisine of choice. The room instantly became full of joyful chatter and hoots. On Link’s right side of the room, a quartet of musicians with drums and flutes began to play. Elevating the atmosphere of the party from a commonplace gathering to a bonafide shindig. There were even some people singing along to the music. It was a chaotic but wondrous scene, unlike anything he would have imagined. He let his eyes trace over every single detail committing every smile and stained shirt to memory and he’d hoped there’d be more nights like this to remember.

Golen brought two plates of food for both Kohga and Link, each hand-picked with one of every dish. Upon seeing the spread Link was shocked by how his hunger came hitting him like a Hinox.

“Thanks for the food,” Kohga exclaimed, clapping his hands together and both he and Link proceeded to stuff their faces. After getting a few bites down Kohga was given a bottle of sake, courtesy of Golen.

“Hey Link, do you want some?”

“Uh, naw thawnks, Master.” He barely said with his cheeks stuffed full of rice.

“Oh, right. I forgot a shorty like you can’t handle liquor.”

“I’m not short!” He took the bottle from Kohga’s hand and served himself a drink. Without a second thought he downed the sake, “And I can handle alcohol just fine.”

“Oh ho, I can see that now!” He smiled, delighted he’d gotten an unreserved reaction from the boy; being able to witness Link’s cheeks turn light pink was the icing on the cake.

The party was in full swing, people were eating, drinking, laughing, and telling stories. The night couldn’t have gone better. It was starting to make Kohga feel a bit nostalgic. “You know we haven’t had a night like this since I became clan leader.”

Link listened attentively. He had developed an odd relationship with his past since his near-death experience a few months back leaving him an atypical amnesiac. However, hearing others talk about theirs was a treat for Link. Though it seemed contradictory hearing others talk about their own past brought a peculiar sense of comfort to Link.

“It was a lot like this, well maybe a bit more extravagant. I am kind of a big deal you know." He jokingly nudged Link with his elbow. 

"Yeah, I kinda figured." Link said playing along.

"There was a lot of drinking, of course, the usual. But what I remember the most clearly about that night was seeing my old man sitting from across the room. Near the back. With his little cup of sake."

Kohga was staring into the crowded room. His eyes though lucid seemed very distant. Seeing the memory in his mind no doubt.

Kohga's voice was nearly a whisper, "He was looking back at me. With his tired eyes. I'd gotten used to seeing him with those eyes for many years now. But that night there was something else accompanying them. A smile."

Kohga poured himself another round of sake. The more he spoke of his father the quieter he became.

"A real smile. And I hadn't seen that since, well it almost felt like a lifetime ago." Kohga closed his eyes for a moment. The muscles in his jaw visibly tensing as he swallowed. Link could tell there was more to the story, but it would be unwise to pry.

"There's not a day that goes by that I don't miss him." He said as he poured himself another drink.

Link stared at Kohga in abject understanding. He'd always thought of Master Kohga like he was the sun in mortal form. But at this moment, it was as though he'd become eclipsed.

Kohga sighed deeply, "I've never said this to anyone."

Link looked at his master with surprise, "Why's that?"

Kohga turned his gaze towards Link, he shrugged. "Maybe it's because I never felt like I had someone who'd understand."

Link couldn't think of anything to say. He could only return Kohga's intense gaze with silent compassion. And for a moment it felt like there was no one else in the room with them. It was just them, connected by the light that reached their eyes.

After a long while, a sullen smirk formed on Kohga's lips, "I better go give them my performance before we run out of liquor."

Kohga then got up and walked over to the center table, the clamor of the banquet hall gradually died down and all eyes were on him. The eclipse had passed and he'd returned to his usual glowing demeanor. He made it look so easy Was there more that lay hidden beneath his glowing smile?

He raised his glass and addressed the crowd, “So who wants to hear a great story?” The crowd cheered and wooed in response. “So, there we were in the dead of night . . .”

Kohga chronicled how he and his squad of ten men, including Link, went about executing their mission. He began illustrating the scene, how they first went about surrounding Kakariko Village’s entry points. How Link assassinated Dorian in one shot and how many villagers they each fought. He went into great detail describing the battle and even more so for each kill, pantomiming most of the action which made Link feel like he was watching a one-man play. It was impossible not to be awestruck with his dramatic performance.

“Then, just as I was about to throw my bola at the old hag, she trapped me with a terrible spell that formed streams of water around me rendering me completely immobile. But this was all part of my plan. She thought she had me fixed in her grasp . . .”

Link was brought back to that moment. The woman though small and old possessed incredible magical power, but she had let her guard down once she had caught her foe. She hadn’t noticed Link had snuck up behind her. He remembered hearing Master Kohga’s voice, _“Link now!”_ Then his blade gracefully swung across her neck. Her head lopped off and both pieces of her body tumbled to the ground. Her face was frozen in a look of utter shock. Then blood proceeded to spill onto the wooden floor soaking everything in red. Her clothes. Her hair. Her face. Her wrinkles.

Link’s hands slightly trembled as he poured himself another drink. He didn’t want to remember. He didn’t want to see that old withered face, those bulging eyes, those small ragged teeth, that cracked tongue. As much as he had tried to keep it in the back of his mind, he hadn’t been able to just shake off the guilt. It just kept weighing on him like some kind of emotional parasitic leech draining his peace of mind. Despite the Sheikah being his enemy, and despite knowing that what he had done was right for the sake of his people and the future of the clan it still weighed on him irrevocably.

 _Don’t think about it._

He poured himself another drink.

Then another one.

And another.

He heard cheering.

People clapping.

They looked toward him.

He smiled.

The musicians resumed their song, everyone else was toasting and Kohga went back to sit next to a now very inebriated Link.

“Look at you now! Living it up I see?”

“Yeah, living up . . . ‘s the best.”

“How many drinks have you had?” Kohga eyed Link suspiciously.

“Two.” The boy said, but the way he swayed in his seat said otherwise.

Kohga snorted, “Well you might want to slow down there party animal.” He removed the bottle from Link’s hands and finished it in one long chug. “Ahhhhhh! Now that is good!”

Link stood up, wavering like a poorly trained traipse artist. He would have nearly fallen if it weren’t for Kohga who lent him his hand for support.

“I wanna dance.” The boy said offhandedly.

“Well, what’s stopping ya?” Kohga replied bemused at how rosy Link’s whole face had become.

“With you.” Link feebly swung his fists downward like a child acting demanding.

“Oh, what an honor.” Kohga stood up and let Link’s small hand drag him to an open space in the dining area.

Link’s movements were floaty, he took slow steps and waved his arms about like leaves in a gentle breeze. Kohga took Link’s hands and gently spun him. Their dance was very much not in tune with the music. Kohga was following Link’s lead and Link was following something else entirely. It didn’t matter though. Link was getting away. Away from that face. Away from that night. He spun, and he spun into Kohga’s arms. This was better. This was good. He felt nice and warm. And free from the weight in his heart.

Link hadn’t realized it, but he had stopped dancing. He was leaning heavily into Kohga and his legs were starting to slip. Kohga took this as his cue to remove Link from the area before he actually ended up on the floor. Good thing Link was easy to lift.

“You’re quite the dancer.”

“Thanks, you too.”

Another chuckle from Kohga made its way to Link’s ears.

“What’s s’o funny?”

“You are my boy, you’re the funniest little cucco I’ve ever seen.”

Link swung his fist angrily at Kohga’s neck since he couldn’t quite reach his face. Link looked like he had wanted to hurl an insult at his master but Kohga only heard incoherent mumbles.

Kohga sat himself back down and kept Link cradled in his arms. The boy could hardly keep his eyes open, he looked so sweet. He wanted him. He wanted to kiss those soft lips and play with his tongue. He could take him right now if he wanted. Right in front of everyone. But he decided he wouldn’t tonight. He told himself he had to let the boy rest. He told himself he would be patient and wait, there was no need to rush. He would have him in due time.

“M’ster Kohga?”

“Yes, Link?”

“Dance with meb”

“As you wish.”

The celebration had gone on well into the night. There was no shortage of drunken Yiga both young and old alike committing varied acts of debauchery. Kohga had danced with Link a few more times before it was clear the boy needed to turn in for the night. It would just be a few more hours till dawn when Kohga finally decided to return to his room. Though he was tired, instead of going to sleep he sat down at his desk and retrieved a stone tablet from his drawer. He studied the piece of ancient Sheikah technology recollecting the day he first laid eyes on it.

Kohga was captivated by the blue glow of the Sheikah shrine that had prior always stood stoically like an abnormal knoll of the earth. He and a squadron of Yiga had arrived at the East Post Ruins as fast they could when he received word from his scout of a suspicious figure entering the shrine around dawn. This was it, Kohga thought at long last the hero has returned. From behind the crumbling remains of a stone column, Kohga watched the Shrine’s entrance intently. The palms of his hands grew sweaty in anticipation as he waited.

“How long has he been in there?”

“A while sir.”

“And you’re sure he’s the one?”

"Positive sir, I saw him use this strange object to open the shrine.”

“What kind of object?”

“I dunno sir, I’ve never seen anything like it. But it bore the Sheikah’s eye.”

“Then it has to be him,” Kohga said more to himself than to his scout.

It felt like ages for Kohga but finally, something happened. The orange glow of the Sheikah eye at the top of the shrine turned blue and a young boy emerged from the shrine. He had innocent azure eyes, dusty blonde hair, and dull battered clothing that seemed a bit too small for the adolescent. _So, this is the hero of Legend?_

The boy pulled out the strange object his scout had mentioned. He was looking at it inquisitively then surveyed the dilapidated remains of what must’ve been a grand military base long ago, now overgrown by nature. Putting away the strange item he then marched off walking towards the still structurally sound Proxim bridge. Kohga signaled to his foot soldiers to follow his lead. They stealthily took their positions and moved in on their target. Once the young Hylian was halfway across the bridge the Yiga intercepted the boy from all sides. The boy took up a defensive stance. He held up a wooden shield and pulled out a rusted short sword ready to attack. He remained silent but Kohga noted the fierce look in the boy’s eyes. He signaled his men to attack. One foot soldier with a sickle in hand dashed forward and attacked the hero from the side.

_Clang!_

The young Hylian had masterfully parried the attack then unleashed a flurry of sword strikes onto his assailant with remarkable power and precision. The next attack that came towards him was dodged with ease. It was evident that the boy had been well trained but even a seasoned knight would have difficulty handling a large group of foes all at once. Kohga was thoroughly impressed with the boy’s raw skills however it was obvious his tools were going to hinder his ability to keep up with the raw power of his attacks.

_Fwash!_

As Kohga predicted, the hero’s sword broke and left him vulnerable to take the brunt of an oncoming slash to his arm. Though blood gushed out he paid no mind. He merely pulled out another weapon from his holster. Though the odds were stacked against the boy one by one he defeated every single one of his aggressors. And in the process, he had lost his shield and two more melee weapons, but not once did the boy lose the bold look in his eyes.

“You really are something else.” Kohga drew his blade. With blinding speed, he lunged forward, as he had hoped the hero was quick enough to block his attack with his lance. “Excellent! You were worth the wait then.”

“Just who are you, people? What do you want from me?!” The boy pushed back Kohga with unexpected force.

“Please, don’t tell me you don’t recognize your sworn enemies of the Yiga clan?”

“I’ve never met any of you in my life!”

Kohga studied the boy’s face, he knew the face of a liar, but this boy didn’t have it. But how could that be? He was the hero, wasn’t he? “Just what are you playing at Link?”

The boy turned pale, “How do you know my name?”

Behind his mask, Kohga’s face twisted in disbelieving disgust at the boy’s response. Kohga swung his blade again aiming for the hero’s side which was once again expertly blocked. “Where is the master sword?” Kohga tested, unable to conceal the growing annoyance in his voice.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” The boy strained to match Kohga’s strikes.

_No._

This was wrong. This was all wrong. The hero of Hyrule was a warrior, not an actor so this sincerity, it could only mean one thing. “You’ve lost your memory.” Kohga lamented.

The boy remained quiet, which just confirmed to Kohga that his guess was right.

“Aghrgggh!” Kohga had ceased fighting. He stood in front of the boy with his palm on his forehead. _Of all the things, he just had to lose his memory. I can’t fight him like this! What’s the point if he doesn’t even know who we are to him?!_

Link looked confused at the masked man. _Why is he frustrated? I’m the one getting attacked for no reason!_ Were this any other enemy, Link would have made a run for it by this point, but he realized that it would be too risky trying to sidestep this man given his speed and strength, even if he looked distracted.

Kohga wrestled with his thoughts trying to decide what to do now that his hopes had been dashed. _Should I just kill him? It would be such a waste though. He doesn’t even have the master sword, which means I wouldn’t even have the satisfaction of beating him at his full strength!_ From the way, Kohga clawed at his head one would’ve thought he was fighting some internal demon before he finally regained his composure.

_Alright first things first, get a hold of yourself Kohga._

Kohga turned to face the hero who was still raring to go. He came at the boy with deadly intent. The clash of their weapons was pure artistry, Link met his sword blow for blow. But of course, it didn’t last long. Eventually, Link’s lance broke and he resorted to fighting with a tree branch that he picked up from the ground. The sight of it caused Kohga to burst into laughter.

“Really? You’re going to fight me with that? You’re quite the savage, aren’t you?” 

Link hurled the stick at the Yiga, hitting him dead center on his head causing the man to real back for a moment; giving Link a chance to escape.

“Urgh, you little!” But the Yiga recovered quickly and threw his bola entangling Link’s legs, causing him to fall to the ground. Kohga quickly caught up with the boy and secured him into a chokehold. Panicked the boy tried pulling off the arm wrapped around his neck but Kohga was stronger and already aptly applying pressure to the boy's arteries. In just a few seconds the boy went limp. Kohga then promptly hogtied, blindfolded, and gagged him. Once he completed restraining the boy, he seized the Sheikah technology and all his other belongings.

 _I'll_ _be damned if I let it end like this!_

Kohga remained intensely focused as he scrolled through the contents of the Sheikah slate. In the months he had analyzed it he had concluded that the slate was lacking certain functions and that it had been made specifically for the hero of Hyrule. Hence when he had tried using it to open more shrines it failed to respond as it had for Link. Even in death the Sheikah tribe still managed to be a continuing source of irritation for Kohga. He was taken aback when he heard a knock on his door.

“Come in.”

Kohga was a bit surprised to see Teru visiting him at this hour. His white hair was in a messy ponytail, his eyes were glassy, and he was barefoot.

“What are you doing here all by yourself?” Teru asked as he sauntered over to Kohga wafting the scent of alcohol with him.

“Nothing,” Kohga replied, putting away the slate and getting up from the desk. Teru brought his hands around Kohga’s neck and clung to him smitten,

“Instead of doing nothing, you could be having some fun.”

“With you?” Kohga looked at the young man indifferently.

“If you’re not tired, we can stay up till morning.” Teru leaned in for a kiss but was pushed away.

“Actually, I am tired.” Kohga broke from Teru’s grasp and made his way to his bed.

“Oh.”

Silence filled the room to an uncomfortable degree that it made Teru's skin crawl.

“I thought we had both agreed, that what was between us was casual.” Kohga’s voice was sympathetic but Teru knew better than to buy the act.

“Then what? You’re serious with Link?” Teru spoke unable to hide the disdain in his voice.

Kohga’s only response was the cold domineering look in his eyes. Teru was beginning to understand what the sickening feeling was that was spreading through his stomach. Of course, it was obvious now but Teru had been resisting the truth. He took a shaky step back fighting the paralysis that had taken hold of him. He left the room not wanting Kohga to see the moisture building up in his eyes.

Soft sheets blanketed Link and the firmness of his mattress brought him great comfort. Candlelight littered the room, the warmth of their flickering lights mesmerized Link. He felt the gentle press of lips make their way along his back and up to his neck. Smooth hands caressed his thighs drawing out soft moans from Link. A small drop of water fell on his forehead.

“So needy.” A dark chuckle whispered into Link’s ear.

“M-master.” Link winced, he felt Kohga’s tongue sucking and biting the tender flesh of his neck. He felt the low hum of Kohga’s groans as he continued to pierce Link’s neck. It sent shivers up Link’s spine and made his voice become a fountain of frantic whines. He felt a hand slip between his legs. A wonton gasp escaped from his lips. He was being groped so lovingly he made no attempt to resist when he felt another hand lift his leg up. Link felt something hard pressing up against him, it suddenly made him distressed and he tried to wriggle away from Kohga’s grasp.

“Don’t deny me.”

The power behind Kohga’s voice forced Link to submit. He reluctantly stopped squirming, then felt the stiff rod breach his hole. Another drop fell on Link’s head more viscous than the last. As the pressure inside him grew more intense it caused Link’s moans to grow louder, and guttural. Kohga rocked into him, filling him, spreading him wider all while stroking Link so tenderly. Link was melting in his touch. He felt his head being turned over and forced into a deep kiss. Link embraced the confines of Kohga’s mouth, savoring the taste, curling his tongue around Kohga’s, whimpering, asking for more. Kohga parted from Link’s lips to lick behind the boy’s ear lobes. The sensation caused Link to wail and tremble as elation rippled throughout his body. Then a large glob of spit fell on his brow.

Link looked up; it wasn’t Kohga it was a corpse. The smell of rot flooded Link while her sunken dull white eyes stared right into his soul. Her body sagged heavily on top of him, and a horrible creaking groan escaped from her raw decaying mouth. Panic overtook Link. He frantically tried to push the undead woman off his chest. But her decrepit fingers latched onto his neck. He raised his arms to shove her off, but countless pale frigid hands sprung forth from every side. He suddenly realized he was sinking into a purple ooze. He fought desperately to escape. The faces of the disembodied arms surfaced from the ooze, they looked sickly and drained of all life. Their hissing and wheezing unnerved Link to no end. They were dragging him deeper into the ooze, while the old woman’s clammy hands squeezed tighter around his neck. Her glazed eyes began to cry streams of blood profusely, endlessly. Link was drowning in the vile acidic taste of it. He couldn’t escape. There were glowing yellow eyes everywhere, blood everywhere, the howling of the dead, and their bones rasping in pain created a deafening orchestra of malice and dreadful suffering.

Link awoke to his own blood-curdling scream in the dead of night. He was drenched in an icy sweat, and his body was shaking uncontrollably. He brought his knees up to his chest, holding himself until he stopped trembling. This was the eighth night in a row Link had endured the same sinister nightmare. Going back to sleep wasn’t an option so Link started making a habit of wandering outside the hideout.

The biting night air helped Link distract himself from the pain of the haunting ordeal. He did whatever he could to keep his mind off the intense imagery of the dream, taking note of the grandeur of the barren valley instead. Karusa Valley was painted in shadowy blue hues by the moon’s light. The bright red-orange rock that made up the walls of the valley were subdued in the dark of night turning the desert into an unexpectedly cooling and tranquil sight to behold. As he walked along the sandstone walls of the desert valley, he counted the stone frog guardians that lay scattered all through the entrance of the camp. Each of them had the red Yiga eye painted onto their belly and several of them wore blindfolds bearing the same symbol.

“56, 57, 58 . . .”

While he walked, he heard the low howl of the wind as it swept through the narrow valley and the soft jangles of the wood clappers being jostled. The odd rock would occasionally roll down from the cliff sides but other than that the only other sounds were the scrunching of his own two feet against the sand. He could still see the glittering stars by the time he reached the sandstone columns that marked the end of the valley and where it connected to the open desert.

He stood there looking out into the seemingly limitless dust bowl until the morning light slowly seeped its way down the far distant mountains and into the vast desert. The light shimmered across the sand turning the wasteland into a beautiful granular ocean. He wondered how many times he had seen this serene view. He resented not knowing. Despite having been able to have asked anyone the details of his past Link had been reluctant to do so. Though at first the clan was eager to share stories in hopes of jogging his memory, eventually they grew wise towards Link’s doleful disinterest on the matter. Even though their intentions were in the right place, it was too painful for Link. It was more painful than any mortal wound, hearing others speak of him and his life while he was unable to recall any of it. It left him feeling like a stranger in his own body. A stranger in his own mind and it was as if his past no longer belonged to him. It was as though it had been coveted by everyone else. Hearing them give anecdotes of his past made him feel like he was a dog having his life dangled in front of him like a scrap of meat just always out of reach. It hurt too much to think about how badly he wanted to reach out and hold it. He wanted to know something, anything of his life from before if only just to lessen that pain.

He wished he could’ve given shape to his memory as easy as drawing a line in the sand. He wondered if he had ever watched this sunrise with his parents. Link imagined himself sitting down on the sand with a man and a woman with his likeness. He imagined them with gentle smiles and their arms hugging either side of his shoulders. His heart ached for the image in his mind to be true. What would they say at a sight like this? What he wouldn't give to have known.

When Link felt a bead of sweat roll down his brow, he decided it was time to head back to camp. He went to the kitchen straight away where he made himself an omelet with fried rice and he grabbed himself a banana too. Link wasn’t exactly hungry but having had little to no sleep all week he knew he was going to need to eat to make it through the day.

After breakfast, he took a quick bath, got dressed in his red uniform, and made his way to the arena. He saw several Yiga waiting around for the training regimen to start. He spotted Endai sitting at the edge of the hole in the center of the arena, yawning and combing the long green hair that covered half of his face.

“Who’s leading today?” Link asked.

“Apparently Master Kohga. Though he was supposed to be back from his mission this morning.”

“Must be running late, then?”

“I guess so.”

_Master Kohga._

Suddenly Link remembered the other part of his dream. Heated panting, lustful moaning, Master Kohga’s hands touching him. He rolled up his mask hoping it would cover his cheeks which must’ve turned scarlet.

“Are you ok?” Endai gave Link a concerned look.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Link managed to say convincingly despite his heart beating a mile a minute.

 _Psssh._ _What are you getting so worked up for? It was just a dream. It doesn’t mean anything. So what if you dreamed about your superior fondling your . . . no. Nope! Stop thinking about it. It was just a weird dream. It doesn’t mean you have the hots for Master Kohga. No. Of course not, that would be-_

“Sorry I kept you all waiting.” Kohga greeted them with an apologetic smile on his face.

_Shit._

The day’s training proceeded as normally as ever. They ran some laps around the arena, then did some rounds scaling the walls and jumping from roof to roof of the pseudo lamp shrines that adorned the sloping rock walls. Then of course some strength training followed by agility training. This type of drill normally didn’t faze Link. He’d often push himself to the max and at the most stop for a few seconds to catch his breath then continue as if he were more machine than human. Today, however, he was barely keeping up with the rest of the pack. He was prone to staggering at almost every turn, his head was throbbing like crazy and what little strength he had left was used to fight off the consistent waves of nausea. The first few days without sleep he managed to get through training with only slight difficulty but now he was at his limit. Except no, he was clearly past his limit and barely passing a functional living being. He felt absolutely lousy, wishing he could just be buried in a dry ditch somewhere and left to dry in the heat and rot. Unfortunately for him, the most physically demanding part of training was yet to come. It was time for them to pair off for sparing and every ten minutes they would swap partners. Link had been knocked off his feet several times by his opponents; each of them looking confused or guilt-ridden for having pummeled the paragon of the clan to the ground like a half-baked fledgling. Every beat down made it harder for Link to get back up and all he could do was silently pray for this all to be over as soon as possible. He was wracked with exhaustion both physically and mentally. Surely things couldn’t get worse right?

“Alright Link, let’s see what you’ve got for me today.” Kohga’s buttery smooth voice greeted him after his last partner switched out.

_Damn it!_

Link was hoping to avoid Kohga today. He didn’t want Master Kohga to see him in such a pitiful state. He expected so much from Link, he couldn’t stand the thought of failing him even if it was just training. That, and there was also the dream. The stupid dream that made his chest flutter and his stomach flip. He couldn’t avoid him now; he was right in front of him and just as Link feared he was starting to feel feverish just from looking at him. He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to move, or if he did, he was scared he’d fall right down again.

“Are you going to make me wait all day? In that case, I’ll make the first move.”

Even when it was just practice Kohga hardly held back. Link almost just saw him move before he blocked Kohga’s forward lunge with his sickle. The long lethal blade of Kohga’s Windcleaver grazed the side of Link’s cheekbone leaving a small cut on his skin. Kohga retracted his weapon, noting the huge bags under Link’s eyes. A slight frown formed on his face which didn’t go unnoticed by Link. In a rash attempt to reclaim the approval in his master’s eyes Link rushed him with a whirlwind of slashes. Kohga blocked them all easily, then countered Link’s attack with a disarming maneuver sending Link’s weapon flying. Link hardly noticed; he was starting to feel numb? Or was he feeling antsy? His skin was buzzing, and there were these dark spots appearing everywhere.

“Link!” Kohga caught the boy before he collapsed onto the floor. Link hadn’t passed out, but everything had gone fuzzy. He felt his body being lifted and carried off with haste.

It was a long time later, but finally, Link’s head began to clear. He recognized the room he was in to be the infirmary. The ceiling of the room was low giving the space a cramped feel to it. It also had several yellow lanterns making it much more well-lit compared to other parts of the camp. He saw Kohga sitting on a small stool, he looked relieved to see Link had come to.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” there was a sort of shy quality to his voice that Link was surprised to hear.

The boy rubbed his eyes, “Um, better, I think? Thank you, master.” Link moved to get up but Kohga lightly held him back.

“Don’t get up, Mito said you were dehydrated. She wants to keep an eye on you until she knows you’re going to be fine.”

The boy hesitantly laid back down reassessing his surroundings. It wasn’t long before he understood the gravity of his situation. Link put his hand to his eyes, effectively covering them, though his distress was not masked by the sardonic tone in his voice “I’ve been bedridden that’s great.”

“What have you been doing to end up like this?”

Link remained silent, internally debating with himself. Kohga calmly waited for an answer not wanting to put the boy under any more stress.

“I can’t sleep.” He removed his hand from his face and timidly looked towards Kohga. “Master, I haven’t slept . . . since Kakariko.”

Kohga reached out for Link’s shoulder having an inkling on what was weighing on the boy’s mind, “Link. It's ok to tell me what’s wrong. I only want to help. I promise.”

Maybe it was because Link had never heard Kohga speak so softly or maybe it was the way his eyes looked at him without judgment and with immense concern that Link felt something in him begin to break. He tried shaking his head as if trying to dissuade himself from the feeling that was quickly overwhelming him. But it was no use, perhaps because he’d been holding back for so long, and his body simply had nothing left to keep himself together.

“I keep seeing her face in my dreams.” His eyes turned glassy. “I can’t stop seeing them, hearing them,” heavy droplets threatened to well over his eyes. “All the people I’ve killed. I can’t . . . it happens every night. It won’t stop. They want me dead, I’m sure of it.” The tears overfilled his eyes, turning the boy’s gnarled face into a sopping mess.

Kohga moved on to Link’s cot to sit closer to him, “Why didn’t you tell me any of this?”

“Because I” he wiped the snot from his nose, “I’m supposed to be strong. I can’t, I’m not supposed to be like this.”

“What? No Link.” He pulled the sobbing boy into a warming firm embrace. “You are strong Link, you’re the strongest of us all. What you’re feeling right now, it’s ok. We all go through it.”

“Really?” He looked up at the man with big blurry eyes.

“Yes really! We may be assassins but we’re all still just people. Of course, we’ve all felt guilt the first time we killed someone.” Kohga let the boy’s tears soak into his clothes, he could feel the small body tremble and shake. “You have a good heart Link, but that doesn’t make you weak.”

“But Master I-”

Kohga released Link from his bear hug and looked him in the eyes, “You don’t remember from before, so this feels like the first time again. Right?”

The boy nodded. His throat had closed up because of the tears that kept coming. Kohga rubbed Link’s back, soothing him like a child. All this affection felt so sudden but Link hardly had the wherewithal to second guess the comfort it brought him.

“Link,” His voice was serious but empathetic, “feeling remorse for your slain enemies is something that we as Yiga aren’t supposed to feel but it happens, and it will pass in time. As for the nightmares, there may be something I could try, if you’re willing.”

“What is it?”

“Hypnosis. I could use it to lessen the intensity of the nightmares.”

“Hypnosis? Would that really work?” The boy asked, wiping the tears from his eyes.

“Well, that really depends on you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, the thing about hypnosis is it only really works if the person is open to it. Would you be willing to try?” He gave Link an optimistic look.

“Uh, right now?”

“Sure, might as well. The sooner you get some sleep the sooner you’ll recover right?”

“I guess you’re right.” Link was somewhat relieved to hear Master Kohga have some kind of solution to his dilemma though he couldn’t help feeling dazed that it would be something as odd as hypnosis to be the answer to his prayers.

“Trust me, won’t hurt to try. Now the first thing you gotta do is relax. Lay back down.”

Link did as he was instructed and laid his back down onto the cot.

“Are you comfy?”

Link nodded.

“Good. Take a deep breath. Let my voice guide you.”

Link inhaled deeply.

“Exhale slowly.”

Link followed his words.

“Very good. With every breath, your body becomes more relaxed.”

Link kept his steady pace noticing it was nice to just listen to Kohga’s voice. He wasn’t sure if this would really work but he was willing to try anything to get rid of the nightmares.

“As you continue to relax, you feel a calming sensation spread through your body starting at your toes. A soft tingling sensation is spreading from your toes to your calves helping you relax. And it’s easy to let it spread up to your ankles. It’s easy to let go."

Not having expected anything Link was fairly surprised at how easily his limbs were becoming limp. He followed Kohga’s instructions allowing every part of his body to become totally relaxed. His body felt heavy, but it was a nice feeling. He didn’t need to go anywhere he was content to just lay there with Kohga by his side.

“Now that your body is relaxed, your mind can just let go of all thoughts. It feels good to just be empty. It comes easily and effortlessly.”

Link’s breaths were now long and perfectly steady as though he was asleep, but Kohga knew he was in fact deeply focused on his voice.

“Imagine you see yourself now at the top of a staircase and there are ten steps. At the bottom of the staircase is a blue door. As I count down, every step takes you deep into trance. Ten.”

Link was there in his mind, taking the step without question. Without resistance.

“Nine. Let your thoughts just fade. Eight. Your mind is clear. Seven. You are empty. Six. It feels nice. Five. It feels good. Four. You follow my voice without thinking. Three. Obeying comes naturally. Two. You are safe. One. You are open. Now go through the door and drop deeper.”

Link felt something. He couldn’t put words to it, he just felt his mind fall.

“Very good Link. You see another flight of stairs below you just like the one before. Every step you take takes you deeper and deeper into trance. At the bottom of the stairs is a gray door that awaits you.”

As Kohga guided Link, he felt his words go through him and he felt them to be true. He was thoughtless. He was empty. He was obedient. It felt good to surrender. There were no walls in his mind. No walls in his heart. He was open to every word Kohga spoke.

“Go through the door Link and drop.”

Link found himself once again at the top of another flight of stairs. He slowly made his way down, one step at a time. He didn’t question why he was down there. He just moved his feet to the beat of an unhearable drum. He didn’t feel any fear or concern. He was just doing what came naturally.

“ **Enter the dark room.** ”

Link was in pitch-black darkness. He was there because he had to be, he had no mind to tell himself otherwise. His feet continued to carry him through the black void until he felt a vaguely wet sensation on his toes. He walked into the pool of water. Slowly being submerged, until he was completely underwater.

“There, on the floor, you see the face of the woman who haunts your dreams. Pick it up and carry it out of the pool.”

Link saw Impa’s pale decapitated head on the floor just as the voice had said. He held it in his hands and felt himself wince but did as he was told and took it with him out of the water.

“As you make your way back from where you just came, her face will begin to fade. With every door you go through and every step you climb repeat the word ‘erase’.”

Link followed his instructions diligently and sure enough with each word the head he was carrying began to gradually fade from existence.

_Erase_

_Erase_

_Erase_

_Erase_

_Erase_

_Erase_

_Erase_

_Erase_

_Erase_

_Erase_

“I will be at the top of the last staircase when you hand the head over to me, she will be gone.”

As Link climbed the head grew lighter and more transparent. He too felt lighter, freer of something. At the end of his journey, Kohga was there like he promised. Link handed the head over to Master Kohga and just as he had said the face dissipated like dust.

“When I finish counting to ten you will awaken renewed and refreshed. One, two slowly becoming more aware. Three, four slowly waking. Five, Six almost there. Seven, eight almost awake. Nine, ten, wake.”

Link's eyes lazily fluttered open. He felt so good as if he had awoken from a long nap. Kohga was still there sitting beside his legs.

“How’re you feeling?” Kohga smiled warmly.

“Really good.” Link said dreamily.

“Good. Get some rest, I’ll see you in the morning.”

Link couldn’t have kept his eyes open even if he had wanted to. He must have fallen asleep and started dreaming right away because soon after he thought he felt a soft kiss on his forehead.


	3. Shrine Hunting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kohga and Link set off on a new mission together. Bonding time with a an excessive dose of blushing!

Just as Master Kohga had said, the hypnosis had tempered the nightmares. Though Link no longer saw Impa’s frightening dead corpse, he still had some troubling dreams, albeit less often than before, and they were far less vivid. Which still was a significant improvement, so Link asked Kohga to follow up with a few more sessions. It surprised Link how easily he took to hypnosis; with every session he was brought into trance more quickly and with little effort.

“Nine, ten, wake.”

Link opened his eyes, having finished another session. Master Kohga would take him so deep that when it was over Link would forget that he was in his room laying on his bed; with Kohga seated in a wooden chair next to him.

“Good morning sleepy head. Feeling good?” Kohga gave Link a warm smile.

“Mmm hmmm.” Link replied, still drowsy from the session. Kohga got up from his chair and brought Link a glass of water.

“Maaaaybe it would’ve been better to wait till nightfall to have taken you under. You look ready to sleep till tomorrow.” He handed Link the glass.

“When did you learn to do this stuff?” the curious boy asked while he accepted the glass from his master.

“Uh, don’t remember when exactly, I learned it when I was young.” Kohga scratched his head, a little embarrassed by the question, “Younger than you definitely.”

“Is that why you’re so good at it?”

“You could say that. And I’ve had a lot of practice.” He paused for a moment then rubbed his chin thoughtfully and arched his eyebrow high, “Although, I’ve never had someone make clucking noises when they’re in trance. Are you sure you’re not a cucco?”

“Shut up, I do not.” Link said, unable to hide a grin.

“That’s what you think. Come on, get your lazy butt out of bed, I wanna show you something.”

Link finished his water and followed Kohga out of his room with renewed vigor. 

These past few days Link had been spending a lot more time with the head of the Yiga clan. After he collapsed, he was bedridden for two days. Besides giving him a hypnosis session each day, Kohga had stayed with Link in the infirmary to keep him company. He brought him playing cards, taught him a few games, and even showed him how to gamble. Endai and Ridah also visited him, but there was something about Kohga’s visits that just made them different. Link couldn’t put his finger on it, but he knew the air around his master differed from when he was amongst his comrades.   
After being officially released from the infirmary, Kohga had accompanied Link to the Kara Kara Bazaar. Even though Link had made the quick trip many times before, Kohga insisted he’d accompany him. His master must’ve been worried he’d collapse again, the young blonde thought. Why else would he be acting so nice towards him?

“Where are we going?” Link asked with a sparkle of curiosity in his eyes once they set foot outside the camp.

“Not too far, you’ll see.”

Link’s heart pounded with excitement. Just what did Master Kohga have in store for him? It didn’t take long for Link to figure out where they were headed. They kept to the left of the valley instead of following down the path to the right, which led further down the valley. He picked up a good idea of what Kohga had in mind. There just a short walk from the forked path stood a Sheikah shrine, its mysterious orange and blue glow beckoning to them.

“See this right here?” Kohga pointed to a small stone slab with old writing that by some miracle remained legible despite the corrosion of untold years. 

Link read the scripture out loud, “If you seek power untold, offer a shining blue stone?”

“Right, that part was simple enough to figure out.” Kohga gestured to the four rocks that surrounded the stone plate that laid on the ground preceding the shrine’s entrance. “We took the luminous stone and placed it on this plate. And when we did, this shrine came out of the ground. Crazy, right?!” 

It flabbergasted Link, a shrine emerging from underground. How was that possible? The only shrines he’d seen before had always seemed like they had always been sitting on the surface of Hyrule. It was incredible that the Sheikah had developed such edifices so far back, and yet they still predated any of the technology they had now. 

“Now, check this out.” Kohga pulled out something from his back pocket and handed it to Link. It resembled the Sheikah shrines, but it was only a small stone rectangular tablet. It had a screen that lit up and appeared to be displaying what Link guessed was supposed to be a map. 

“Sho Dantu? Is that what this place is called? What is this thing?”

“I call it a Sheikah slate. I recovered it on my mission, and I have a hunch it’s the key to getting these shrines open.” Kohga walked to the shrine’s entrance and gestured to the small ornate structure that stood to the right of the shrine’s terrace. “Try holding it close to that pedestal.”

Unsure of himself, Link carefully hovered the slate over the pedestal. When nothing happened, he placed it on top of the stone. Blue light flared up immediately on the etchings of the pedestal in response to the slate. He then heard a low rumbling coming from within the shrine. What appeared to be a wall blocking the shrine’s entrance elegantly gave way, several stone pavers folded back into the shrine revealing another circular pattern on the floor of the shrine.

“Fascinating.” Kohga approached the inside of the shrine, “Let’s go inside.” He beckoned Link to follow. They stood together on the glowing circle and just when they thought something was off, the floor beneath them moved, lowering them down below the earth’s surface.

The inside of the shrine was breath-taking. Link had never seen anything like it. The walls were impossibly smooth and there were several stone torches with small blue crystals that lit the spacious room, which was immaculate. He never would’ve thought this place was ancient by any stretch of the imagination. Upon entering, they heard a low echo of a voice. 

_“ To you who sets foot in this shrine … I am Sho Dantu. In the name of the Goddess Hylia, I offer this trial. ”_

Kohga looked around, wondering where the voice emanated from, “A trial hu? This should be interesting.”

Link noted straight ahead there was a sealed passage and another to the right of him. On his left, however, between two of the blue torches were four crates within the wall. Link approached the wall of crates and tried pushing them, but he wasn’t able to make them budge. 

“Oh! Link try using one of the runes on the Sheikah slate.” Kohga prompted.

“Runes?” He turned to the device and after some fiddling, he found what Kohga was talking about. _A remote bomb. That seems helpful._ He selected the rune then as if by magic a glowing blue ball was produced into his hands. 

“Oh, so I can just chuck this hu?” He threw the glowing sphere to the crates, but it simply fell to the floor. 

“I think you gotta use the slate.” Kohga observed.

“Oh, right, that makes sense.” Link grabbed the slate again and pressed the rune again. 

“Link wait!”

But it was too late the moment the boy tapped the rune the ball detonated, and the explosion hit Link, throwing him several feet away from where he once stood. 

Kohga rushed over to the boy checking his vitals, “For Ganon’s sake Link think first!”

“Ugh, sor-ry” The boy groaned. _Well, at least I’m not dead._ He grabbed two palm fruits from his pouch and gobbled them up. This wasn’t the first time Link had done something stupid that put his life in danger. He’d since learned it was best to carry provisions for the likely scenario in which he’d do something stupid. He tried using the bomb again. This time making sure he was a safe distance away before detonating it. Sure enough, the bomb obliterated the crates, revealing a hidden room. 

Link wasn’t sure of what to make of this new discovery. There was a tall pillar that appeared to have an enclosure at the top. Right before that, there was a much smaller stone pillar with a blue square on its top surface that kept popping out and back into the ground every few seconds. Link looked back towards Kohga who just shrugged at him equally confused. Link stood on the small pillar, not knowing what else to do. When it popped up, it launched him sky high into the air and he caught a glimpse of an orange crystal inside the enclosure and blasting barrels on opposite sides of the crystal. 

He stepped off the pillar and pondered for a moment. _This is some sort of test, right? So is it like a puzzle?_ He opened up the Sheikah slate once more, looking at the other runes. There was a second remote bomb that was square-shaped, a magnesis rune that apparently would give him the ability to manipulate metal objects, a stasis rune and a cryonis rune. The latter three didn’t seem very useful at the moment, but with the blasting barrels up top Link figured the bombs were most likely his best bet. He selected the cubed-shaped bomb and placed it on the face of the jutting pillar. 

“Huh, curious.” Kohga commented.

_He’s really just going to stand there and make me do all the work, isn’t he?_

Link waited for when the pillar shot the bomb up into the air. The moment it reached near the enclosure, he detonated the bomb. Upon doing so, he heard a _thunk_ coming from the other room he came from. He peered over and saw that the sealed passage on his right had opened up to another room. 

“Brilliant!” Kohga beamed. “On to the next one.”

“Hold on Master.” Link ran to the large pillar towards the back where he found a lone chest. _Yes!_ He opened it up and found a silver rupee laying inside. _Leave no stone unturned._ Link’s personal philosophy as a natural explorer once again paid off.

“I’ll take that.” He pocketed the money and ran back to Kohga, who was waiting for him. 

“Found something nice, I take it?”

“Yup, silver rupee. Finders keepers.” 

“Oh, ho! Maybe now you can buy yourself something nice to wear besides that old tunic.”

“What’s wrong with my red tunic?” he frowned defensively.

“Nothing, it's fine. It’s just a bit … dull.”

“Well, excuuuuuse me Master, but you could use less frills on your armor.” The boy sneered.

“Oh my, the cucco has claws!” Kohga teased unabashedly. 

Link ran ahead of Kohga to avoid further jesting. 

The second hidden room was like the first, except this time Link had to use both bombs to solve the puzzle. Afterward, he opened up the third passage. This third room had another crystal enclosed at the top of another pillar unsurprisingly. Except unlike before, there were small pillars jutting out of the ground on opposite sides of the crystal. Once Link had activated the crystal his goal became clear. After some trial-and-error, Link successfully made his way up and through to the last gate. Kohga never offered him the slightest bit of help, which struck Link as odd. He couldn’t remember the last time Master Kohga had gone over ten minutes without saying anything. The man simply followed Link into the next room. 

What Link found on the other side left him with his mouth ajar. A small stairway led to a blue wall of light that surrounded two stone plinths. Atop them sat what remained of an ancient Sheikah monk. He was practically skin and bones with tattered brown pants and the Sheikah symbol tattooed on his forehead, and yet he bore a peaceful expression. 

Link looked back at Kohga as if to ask for permission to approach the monk. Kohga who had his arms crossed wore a slight grin on his face. He gestured with his hand towards Link as if to say, go ahead. Link hesitated but walked up the stairs. He approached the mysterious blue veil and without thinking he reached out and touched it. Suddenly the energy burst into hundreds of needle-like fragments. Link took a step back and shifted into a defensive stance, but then he heard that same strange voice again. 

“ _Your resourcefulness in overcoming this trial speaks to the promise of a hero_. . .”

Link relaxed again realizing he wasn’t in danger, however just as quickly and inexplicably something evanescent flowed out of the monk’s chest and into his.

“ _In the name of Goddess Hylia, I bestow upon you this spirit orb_.” 

Link went from suddenly alarmed that something unknown had gone inside him to utterly confused when realizing that he didn’t feel any different.

“ _May the Goddess smile upon you_.”

Link couldn’t believe his eyes as the monk dissipated into countless green particles that then scattered like flower petals and faded into the ether. It was so sudden Link didn’t know what to make of what he had just witnessed. He turned to his master, hoping he had some insight to offer.

“What was that just now?”

Kohga uncrossed his arms and placed them on his hips, “That I believe was the ‘power untold’ we were seeking.” 

“But I mean, what is that stuff that went inside me?” Link still had his brows furrowed in worry. “And what was that stuff about a hero? And how did he just disappear like that?”

Kohga chuckled at how worked up Link was, “Well, my guess is that they built these shrines to test the legendary hero of Hyrule. As for what went inside you, it looked to be some sort of spiritual energy. Most likely the reward for completing the trial. Hmmm.” He walked around the plinths studying the architecture, “It could be that the energy surrounding that old geezer is what was keeping him in one piece.”

“So it was like a part of his spirit or something? But why would he give that to me? I’m no hero of legend.”

“Hmm, perhaps because under normal circumstances only the hero would have been able to access these shrines. But since we got a hold of the Sheikah slate and you completed the trail, then the spoils went to you.” He said with a smile on his face.

“I guess they didn’t have a backup plan then.” Link looked at the slate, feeling a twinge of pity.

“We’re lucky they didn’t. Could you imagine all that power going to waste?”

“Auuhh! Then you should’ve been the one to receive it, Master!”

Kohga couldn’t help but laugh at Link’s anguished face.

 _Is there nothing he takes seriously?_ Link’s eye twitched in annoyance. 

Kohga walked back to Link and placed his hands on the boy’s shoulders, “Link, this worked out better than I had hoped!”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s been something I’d been wanting to ask you for a long time.”

Kohga’s hands were weighing heavily on Link. The last time he and Kohga were this close in proximity was when … Link cursed himself for remembering that stupid dream. He couldn’t move, and he was staring into Kohga’s golden eyes. The black of his pupils were like dark whirlpools drawing him in while the radiance of his irises made him feel both intimidated and mesmerized by their luminescence. _This warmth, again?_

“I want you to be my successor.”

“Hu, what?” Link shook himself out of his daze.

“Walk with me.” Kohga enigmatically turned and made his way towards whence they came. “I’ve been giving it a lot of thought, and after our success at Kakariko, I knew you’d be the perfect choice.”

“But Master I’m hardly suitable to be a leader and you’re still young shouldn’t you wait-” 

“No one has their life guaranteed Link. It’s best to plan ahead and train you properly so that when the time comes, you’ll be ready.” 

Those words hung heavily on Link. Perhaps because Link had almost died, it had caused Kohga to see his own mortality just as fleeting. When they returned to where they first entered, Kohga stopped and turned to Link, “You see all of this?” He raised his arms gesturing to the whole grandeur of the shrine. “This is our chance to become stronger than we’ve ever been.” He returned his gaze towards Link and held the sides of the boy’s arms. “You are our future Link. If we keep on this path, we may even become strong enough to free our Lord Ganon. But of course, the choice is yours.” 

Link clenched his fists into balls. _Well, when you say it like that, how can I refuse?_ “Master I-”

“You don’t need to give me your answer now. Think it over. Take all the time you need but, in the meantime, I would like you to continue taking on more shrines. Regardless of your decision, I believe you are the most worthy of this power.”

“But Master, surely-”

“And that’s the final word on that.” He turned towards and stepped onto the platform to exit the shrine, “Let’s go complete one more trial before we call it a day, shall we?”

Link wasn’t sure about Kohga’s proposition to become the next clan leader; even though he’d given him time to mull it over he was doubtful, he’d change his mind. In the meantime, Link looked forward to taking on another trial. He had found the challenge invigorating and exceptionally satisfying. He joined Kohga on the platform and nodded.

Link and Kohga embarked on their mission with due haste. They donned their traveler disguises and made their way through Karusa valley, then traveled along the sides of the Gerudo Highlands, taking advantage of the shadows cast by the towering mountain range to keep themselves cool from the arid desert heat. They were headed to Gerudo town, the largest and only metropolis in the whole Gerudo desert. There was a shrine just outside of the bustling city, where unlike the Kara Kara Bazaar Link didn’t make the habit of frequently visiting. Unfortunately for him, the town has a strict tradition of forbidding entry to all males. It was a cruel twist of fate; he deduced.

About three-quarters of the way, Kohga and Link left the cover of the highlands and crossed into the sweltering dunes. Link provided Kohga with a chilly elixir, a concoction of bugs and monster parts that kept them both from otherwise dying from the extreme heat. The effects of the elixir were only temporary, so they trod carefully to avoid the many monsters that made their home in the already hostile wasteland. As luck would have it the concoction lasted them long enough to reach their destination.

This second shrine was called Daqo Chisay, and once again Link couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer scope of everything within the shrine. He didn’t think it was possible, but the room of this shrine was bigger than the last. He could see the ceiling of the temple was supported by large stone arches and the ceiling itself almost seemed to resemble the sky with just the faint tint of blue that showed the light was in fact artificial. The design of the architecture was the same as the last, but this one had a crystal that generated electricity right in the center of the room with several electrical currents branching off throughout the room. Several of which remained inactive. Link never would have guessed he had a knack for these cryptic challenges. He quickly assessed that with his magnesis rune, and several metal objects placed in the shrine, he could complete the electrical currents and unlock several doors. Several of which held more metal crates and barrels behind them to solve the next puzzle. One of them however had a treasure chest that gifted Link with a Thunderblade, an incredible magical sword that shined with the vibrancy of a lightning storm. Kohga was content to hang back and watch as Link completed his tasks with ease. In a short amount of time, Link reached the monk who just like the previous one bestowed him another spirit orb. Then like clockwork, the monk’s physical body scattered like dust in the wind right before their eyes.

When they got out of the shrine, it was just before sunset and already the desert heat was being replaced by the fierce nipping cold. Link was always prepared to face the harsh trials of nature by providing himself and Master Kohga with some spicy elixirs to stave off the freezing temperature. 

“Wanna do one more?” Link looked at Kohga with a sparkle of excitement in his eyes. Who knew solving ancient puzzles would be so much fun?

“Sure. There’s one near the stable if I recall correctly.”

“Yeah, we can make it there before nightfall if we hurry.”

“By all means lead the way.”

Link made a mad dash for the Gerudo Canyon stable, with Kohga following close behind. The Kay Noh shrine was just on the cliffside opposite of the stable. This shrine was similar to the previous with a focus on electricity-centered puzzles. However, unlike the previous two, Link encountered an unexpected foe within the shrine. He recognized the mechanical tactile body of a guardian although; he’d never seen one that was so small, no bigger than a goat.

“It’s kind of adorable isn’t it?” Link asked, looking at Kohga.

“Don’t underestimate it just because it’s cute.” Kohga chuckled while he readied his bow.

“You’ve fought these before?” Link unsheathed his new Thunderblade.

Kohga looked at Link directly with a smirk, “No. I just have experience fighting against opponents who are just as small and adorable.” 

Link felt himself blush. Had Kohga not been holding his gaze, he would’ve thought the man was just teasing him as per usual. _Is he flirting with me?_

“Look sharp.” Kohga pointed with his bow at the small robot that had noticed them and was fast approaching Link. To his surprise, the little guy went down with just one hit.

“Huh, that was easy.” Link said somewhat disappointed.

“That’s one heck of a blade you got there.”

“Ha-ha yeah, I’m sure it’s nothing compared to yours.”

Kohga’s low rumble of a laugh was just barely audible, “Are we still talking about swords?”

Link’s face turned bright red, “M-master!”

“I’m kidding.” He said unconvincingly with an undeniable smugness in his eyes.

Link quickly returned his focus to the puzzle. If he spent one more minute talking with Master Kohga, he’d surely melt and turn into a puddle of embarrassment. The rest of the puzzles were simple. They fought another small guardian with relative ease, and Link received his third spirit orb. By the time they got out of the shrine, the sun had gone and the moon was slowly creeping over the horizon.

“Let’s stay at the stable tonight and then continue looking for more shrines tomorrow. Sound good?” Kohga said, stretching his back.

“Yeah, sounds good.”

The stable had plenty of beds to accommodate the many travelers that stopped by or on their way to the Gerudo desert. Once they paid for their beds Kohga took a seat by the outdoor cooking pot where Link had taken residence to whip up some supper. The downside to living in a desert was that ingredients for food were not only scarce, but it was difficult to get a wide variety to make anything remotely special. And though they were just out on mission like any other night, Link couldn’t shake the feeling that tonight was a bit special. So he was a little more than peeved that his supply of ingredients was a little more lackluster than usual. He’d mostly only prepared for making elixirs to survive the wilderness. Had he known he would’ve been spending the night with Master Kohga away from the hideout, he would’ve packed a few more things to have made a proper meal. 

Kohga could tell Link was overthinking it by how much the boy kept digging through his items, “It doesn’t have to be fancy Link, I’ll eat anything you make.”

“Hmf!” Link pouted, “I wanted to make something extra nice though.”

“There’s always next time.” Kohga reassured.

“It won’t be the same though.”

Link decided his best option was to use some raw prime meat and his only courser bee honey. Using a clean knife, Link sliced the meat into medium chunks, then whisked in the honey and the meat together in the pot. The smell gave Kohga goosebumps; the air was filled with the sweetness of the honey and the tanginess of the meat all at once. It took a few minutes for the food to be ready, but it was well worth the wait. In just one bite, Kohga’s mouth tasted heaven. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten something so delicious. 

“This is incredible.” He said with his eyes half-closed.

“You think so?” Link fidgeted with the fabric of his shirt.

“If I’m lying, may the Goddess strike me down. Come on, quit standing.”

Link took a seat next to Kohga and dug into his own bowl. He enjoyed his own cooking, but he seldom cooked for others since he thought they’d find his cooking a bit too base. He appreciated Kohga’s compliment, even if he thought he was exaggerating. 

“How did you get so good at cooking?” 

“Just trial and error, I guess.”

“Is that right? You’ve never asked Golen for lessons or recipes?”

“I’ve seen his recipe book, but they’re a bit too complicated for me to follow and he’s usually busy, so I’ve never asked him to teach me.”

“You’re just all sorts of talented, aren’t ya?”

“I guess. I just enjoy cooking.”

“Is that why you always go to the Kara Kara Bazaar?”

“Yeah, it’s the only place that’s close where I can meet with a lot of merchants.” He took another big bite of meat.

“Why don’t you go to Gerudo town, don’t they have an enormous market there?”

“Don’t you know? No men are allowed.” Link sighed dejectedly.

Kohga shrugged, “So. Just sneak in.”

“I’ve tried. Those Gerudo guards are no pushovers, they have eyes everywhere.”

“Hmm. So even the great Link can’t get past them, I guess they really are sharp.”

“I’m not giving up yet, I’ll find a way in there.” Link had a determined smile on his face. “And then I can make something really amazing. Just you wait.”

“I look forward to it.”

Kohga loved seeing Link talk excitedly about something he loved. The boy was often too serious, trying to hold himself to an impossible standard, so it made him smile to see him relax more. Kohga then noticed Link had a bit of honey glaze smeared onto his cheek, “Hey Link, you got something on ya.” He pointed at his own face to clue the boy in.

“Huh?” Link wiped his cheek with his arm, but the smear was still there.

“Let me get it.” Kohga licked his thumb and rubbed the side of Link’s cheek.

Link froze, he found himself locked in Kohga’s gaze while he felt the warmth of Kohga’s thumb caress his cheek with an intimate measure of care. 

“There.” Kohga licked his thumb, savoring the taste of the glaze.

“Um, th-thanks.” Link held his cheek. _Am I blushing? Oh Goddess, I hope I’m not blushing!_

Kohga stretched out his arms and yawned like a sand seal, “Well, I think I’m ready to hit the sack. Thanks for the meal, it really was excellent.” He stood up, taking the bowl out of the dazed-looking boy’s hands, “You should probably get some rest too.” 

“Uh, y-yeah.” Link got up, shaking his head. 

“Sleep tight.” Kohga said with a wink.

“You too.” Link said shyly, hesitant to let his eyes meet with his master’s once more.

They made their way to their beds when they heard a woman cry out in distress. Link looked over to see a couple who had just arrived at the stable. A dark-haired woman clutched her waist heavy with child and at her side was her frantic-looking husband who held her by the arm. Her brow was laden with beads of sweat, indicative of the woman’s terrible pain. She was just barely able to stand on her two feet.

“I need one bed for my wife tonight.” The man spoke urgently to the owner of the stable.  
Piaffe, an effeminate fellow, addressed the couple regrettably, “I’m sorry sir, but we’re all booked for tonight.”

“Please! Won’t you make an exception, she’s suffering from awful contractions, she just needs to rest.”

“I’m sorry sir, truly I am but I have nothing that could-”

“She can take my bed.” Kohga’s voice rang loudly across the room.

The pleading man turned to Kohga immediately, “Oh! Thank you! Thank you, sir, I’ll repay you for this!”

“No need.” Kohga helped the man bring his wife over to the bed.

Link looked over at Kohga, who now had nowhere to sleep. “Uh, master, you could have my bed.”

“Nah, it's fine. It’s not like I’ve never slept on the floor before.” Kohga slumped down next to Link’s bed.

Piaffe came up to Kohga with a handful of rupees, “I’m sorry for the inconvenience sir, here your charge for the bed.”

“Keep it, I’ll cover it for them.” 

“Are you certain, sir?”

“Absolutely.” Kohga waved away the proprietor.

“Well, if your mind’s made up.”

“It is.” 

“Very well sir, thank you. The next time you spend a night here, the bed will be on us; I promise you that!”

“Thank you, I appreciate that.”

Piaffe slinked off to discuss the new arrangement with the couple.

“That was very kind of you, master.” 

“Anyone else would’ve done the same.” He shrugged. 

“You sure you don’t want to switch-”

“I’m not going to let my pupil sleep on the floor for me. What kind of man do you think I am?”

 _I guess I should know better than to argue with him._ “Ok then, goodnight Master.”

“Goodnight Link.”

Link laid down on his side and pulled the blankets over him. He closed his eyes, ready to drift to sleep when suddenly a heavy weight planted itself next to him on the bed. His eyes flung open to see Master Kohga laying right next to him on the bed, “Hey! I thought you said-”

“Well, thinking it over and seeing as you’re so small, there’s plenty of room for both of us.” Kohga said without batting an eye.

Link tried to protest but didn’t know what to say. Technically, he was right. They both fit on the bed, albeit if either of them moved in their sleep someone might end up on the floor, anyway. Link noticed that Kohga’s breathing became slow and deep. _Did he fall asleep already?_ “Master Kohga?” he whispered. No response except a slight nasally snore. Link could smell the hint of honey from Kohga’s breath. He was becoming very aware of how close he was to the man’s face.  
Kohga’s features were mostly sharp, he had a strong jaw, a hooked nose and smooth dark skin. Link wondered, had Kohga always been this handsome? He felt as if he was seeing him for the first time. How had he not noticed before, he wondered? One thing that was always apparent was the abundant body heat that he always seemed to radiate. The man was like a living campfire, thermal and inviting. Link wanted to move closer to him. But he wouldn’t just be content with being closer to his master. He wanted to feel the touch of his skin. Link felt his spine shiver at the anticipation of his thoughts. _Am I really . . .?_

Since waking up from his brush with death, dealing with emotions had been difficult. Everything was new, and it was frightening. Somehow Link had found the courage to face most of it head-on, but this was different. He felt uncertain of himself. He was worried, but he couldn’t pinpoint what exactly made him anxious. He knew he yearned for something, but he was scared. Afraid that if he reached out to connect to that warmth, he would only get burned. It would be better to pretend those feelings didn’t exist, he told himself. _This is enough. I don’t need more._

Link closed his eyes and tried relaxing his body, hoping he’d be able to fall asleep, eventually. He waited a couple of minutes but then in typical teenage contrarian fashion; he ignored his own reasoning and carefully scooted closer to Kohga. Allowing himself to be enveloped in the warmth and scent of his master.

It was early dawn when Kohga awoke to the lovely sight of Link’s cherubic face mere inches away from his. Link’s hair was smothered, and his pillow had a small puddle of drool seeped into it. He couldn’t bring himself to wake the boy, he was even mumbling in his sleep. It’d be rude to disrupt his dream after all.

“M-master,” Link muttered in his sleep.

Kohga chuckled, the sound roused Link to open his eyes. He looked slightly confused, as though he’d forgotten where they were. Then when his eyes met with Kohga’s the boy immediately burned bright red.

“Were you dreaming of me?” Kohga said with a cocky smile on his face.

“N-no! Of course not!” He tried to deny, quickly sitting upright and turning away, obviously trying to hide his face, “What do you want for breakfast?” He said, attempting to distract Kohga. 

“I’m old-fashioned. Got any eggs?”

“Yeah, with some fried rice?” Link added while he hastily put on his boots.

“Sounds perfect.” Kohga followed suit.

They set off on horseback and followed the trail that went through the Gerudo Canyon. The morning wind of the canyon was light and crisp, a pleasant change of pace from the dry desert air. Their next shrine would just be a quick ride away, passing Mount Nabooru. Link recalled passing by it on their way back from Kakariko. They sped past a few travelers and dodged some debris that fell from the cliff sides. When they came close to one of the old archways that once fortified where the walls of the canyon connected, Link noticed a familiar airborne green and red target that was just barely noticeable within the cleft of the archway. 

“Master Kohga, hold on!”

Kohga reigned in his stead just in time to see Link flip off the back of his horse and shoot an arrow towards the cleft while mid-jump. When he rejoined the boy beneath the archway, he saw that he was holding something in the palm of his hand and had a small satisfied grin. 

“What’s that about?”

“Uh nothing.” The boy said with a little awkwardness. 

“Reeeeeally? So you just practice your acrobatics and archery at any given time and then smile at your hand just for kicks?” 

Link remounted his horse, “No, it… you wouldn’t believe me.”

“Try me.”

Link spurred his mare to a trot, “Um, ever heard of the children of the forest?”

“Hmm,” Kohga held his chin inquisitively, “Forest spirits? I’ve heard tales.”

“Well,” Link gripped the reins of his horse tightly wary of how Kohga’s reaction. “I can see them. I’ve found them hidden all over the place. Under rocks, among trees and other places. It’s sort of like a game. When I find them, they give me one of these.” Link showed Kohga a tiny oblong cream-colored seed.

For once Kohga looked truly dumbfounded, “You really are something else.”

“Uh, in what way?”

“In a good way.” He assured with a grin. “What do you do with those?”

“Nothing. I just keep them.” He tucked away the seed into his pouch.

“So what do they look like, the spirits?”

“They kinda look like,” Link furrowed his brow, he found it difficult to describe the creatures given their unusual appearance, “Like little tree stumps with thin arms and legs. And they wear masks made of leaves.” Link saw that Kohga was staring at him with wide eyes.

“I sound crazy, don’t I?”

“A bit, but I still believe you.”

The boy looked at him incredulously, “You do?”

Kohga nodded, “Just because I don’t understand it, doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”

Link’s mouth hung open in total surprise. He’d expected Kohga to make some joke at his expense, but he just had a gentle, serious look about him that Link couldn’t recall he’d ever seen before.

“I uh, thanks… The first time I saw them, and I tried telling someone, well… Ridah called me a liar, and I’m pretty sure Endai thought I was delusional.”

“Heh, honestly, I’m not surprised. Most people can’t accept a reality that contradicts their own.”

“Hmn.” Link looked sadly at the trail ahead of him. The memory of his comrades had reminded him of how disheartening their reaction towards him had made him feel. After that, Link figured telling anyone else would garner similar results. Though he enjoyed finding the little koroks it left as sourness in his mind that he wouldn’t be able to share that joy with anyone until now.

“It gets overwhelming, doesn’t it? The loneliness.” 

Link looked at Kohga in awe. He hadn’t even allowed himself to acknowledge those feelings himself up until now. 

“Y-yeah.” Link held Kohga’s gaze as if trying to ask him with his eyes how he’d known?

“Honestly, I don’t think I ever get used to it, but I’ve found it helps when you have someone who understands. When you have someone who can listen, the burden doesn’t feel as heavy as it used to.”

“You? But you always seem ... “

“Happy? I am, mostly. I do my best to make sure everything is running smoothly. But being a leader means I have to take care of everyone, and that makes me see a lot of things very differently.” Kohga turned to look towards the horizon, “Even when things are going well, I can’t get too comfortable. So it often feels like I’m just on the outside looking in.”

Link felt anguish for his master, “I never would’ve guessed.”

“Of course not. It’s part of the job. As long as I look alright, they know they have nothing to fear. That’s the most important part about being a leader, giving your people the strength to always carry on.”

“I can’t even imagine how hard that must be.” Though he couldn’t fathom how the entire clan’s hopes and expectations weighed on his master, he could understand how the burden would make someone feel isolated. The clan also looked up to Link, albeit in a different light, but in the end, it had the same effect. Perhaps he shared more in common with Kohga than he realized.

“It’s not easy but I’ve always had people around me to give me strength. My father, Borhan, Mito, Golen, Ridah, Endai, and especially you Link.”

“Me?”

“Yeah you.”

“How?”

Kohga shrugged casually, “By just being you, you’ve always inspired me to become stronger.”

Link was lost for words. _I'v_ __e_ been an inspiration to him? _ Link couldn’t believe it. How could someone like him be an inspiration to the leader of the Yiga clan? He was just a foot soldier. Link shook his head in dismay, “Everyone keeps saying that I’m so great, but I don’t get it. I’m not that different from everyone else.”

“But you admit you are different.”

Link couldn’t deny that; he knew he didn’t quite fit in. He felt offbeat from the others, but not because he was better than them. He just felt like the odd man out, probably because of the amnesia he suspected. It must’ve changed how they interacted with him, an unavoidable consequence perhaps. 

“You’re exceptional Link, there’s no doubt about that and humble to boot. A rather rare combo, don’t you think?”

“What exactly makes you think I’m so special though?”

“Well, for starters-”

Kohga was cut off by a frantic scream in the distance. Two young travelers found themselves in close quarters to a mob of bokoblins. Without hesitation, Link spurred his horse into a gallop.  
Kohga looked on with a smirk, “Figures.”

One of the young travelers had her wooden shield held up while a blue bokoblin dove and slammed its club into the terrified girl. Link acted quickly as soon as he was within a few meters of the fray, he shot an arrow right on the monster’s horn stopping the feral creature from landing another hit. Link continued to push his steed into a higher gait rushing to the aid of the other young Hylian girl being chased by two more blue ugly beasts. He jumped off his horse’s back like before and sniped a second bokoblin. 

“Gyah!” The young girl scurried behind Link as fast as her staggering legs could carry her, “Please! Help us!”

“Stand back.” Link warned the young girl. With broad sword in hand Link timed his spin attack perfectly, knocking the monsters off their balance. He followed up with several swift sword strikers and made quick work of the fiends. Afterward, he promptly collected their remains for later use. The two girls came running up to Link, the terror in their eyes now replaced by pure adoration, “That was amazing!”

“You saved us, please take this as a token of our gratitude.” The girl handed him a tough elixir, then subsequently the two giggled at each other before running off. Neither gave Link the chance to return the thanks.  
Shortly after Kohga rode up next to the speechless boy, “And you still wonder why.” 

“Helping people isn’t anything that special.” Link insisted.

“That’s not it.” Kohga shook his head, “Few people would put their own lives at risk just to help a random stranger.” Kohga stated straightforwardly.

“Is that really it?”

“It’s rarer than you think, having that kind of courage to face any danger head-on.”

Link fiddled with his arm braces. His unwillingness to speak told Kohga that he remained unconvinced. 

“Look, there’s the shrine!” Link pointed, eager to change the subject. 

Kohga shrugged, “It sure is.” 

They proceeded to the Jee Noh shrine where Link made use of the stasis rune to complete the monk’s challenges. It wasn’t even noon by the time they were done with the shrine.

“You’re getting the hang of that slate.” Kohga remarked.

“Thanks, it's surprisingly versatile.” Link said, securing the artifact onto his hip, “Where to next?”

“Hmm.” Kohga studied the landscape of the canyon with a pensive look on his face. “Well, as far as shrines go, there aren’t any more that are close by. We’d have to venture pretty far for another.”

“Should we head back then?” Link guessed his leader would rather not be away from camp for a prolonged amount of time.

“Not yet. There’s something we could check out that is close.” Kohga turned around, facing the lofty canyon walls. He pointed towards them, “There’s a tower on Spectacle Rock. I’m certain it’s Sheikah, it has the same architecture as the shrines.” 

“Think there’s loot at the top?”

“Dunno for sure but knowing our sister tribe there’s sure to be something worth finding up there.”

“Then let’s go!” Link leaped onto his horse, waiting eagerly for Master Kohga to mount his own. 

They headed back whence they came, riding southwest in the direction towards the stable. Just before they reached it, they veered left going up a slope leading them to one of many old scaffoldings that allowed them to reach the upper parts of the canyon.

“It’s too bad we’ll have to leave the horses here.” Kohga lamented as he dismounted.

“There’s no other way up to the tower?”

“More like, this is the only path where we don’t have to waste effort climbing steep cliffs.”

“Ah. So what’s the tradeoff?”

“It’s nothing we can’t handle. Just a few monsters on the way up.”

Link smirked, “This’ll be easy then.”

The hike up the canyon was littered with moblins and electric chuchus, however, they were no match for the lethal duo. With Link’s fighting tenacity and Master Kohga providing backup, the two made it up the canyon with just a few minor scrapes. Along the way, Kohga had to wait several times for Link while he went off to collect a mushroom or bug that had caught his eye. Link had also discovered he could use his bomb rune to blast both monsters and ore deposits, saving himself arrows and wear of his weapons. 

“Are we rich?” Kohga asked when he saw Link returning with three large rocks in his arms.

“Probably not in a few more years.” the boy chuckled.

“Oh, good! We should make it to the tower by then.” Kohga jeered.

“Ok, I can take the hint.”

"Do you always have to pick up every little thing that you come across?”

“Yes.” Link said with a self-satisfied smile. “Fine, no more detours. Are we almost there?”

“Just about.”

They pushed forward up the trail little more than another mile. When they finally reached the top Link felt a rush of wonder when his eyes met the enormous stone tower. 

“Whoa.” He marveled at the soaring architecture that seemed to touch the sky itself. He’d never seen anything so tall and elegantly built, “It’s amazing.” Link walked closer to the magnificent Sheikah tower, completely awestruck.

“Watch your step.” Kohga warned.

Link tore his eyes away from the tower and just noticed that a murky quagmire surrounded it. He stepped carefully around the bog hoping to find a bridge but alas there was nothing of the sort.

“Now how do you suppose we can get up there?” Kohga thought aloud.

Link looked around. He spotted several metal crates just lying about, “Maybe we could build our own bridge.” He used the magnesis rune to levitate one of the large metal crates and pulled it over to the edge of the bog. Unfortunately, as soon as he let go of the crate it sank down into the depths of the brown sludge.

“Maybe a different rune could be of use?” Kohga suggested. 

“Hmm.” Link reassessed his surroundings. There were three stone slabs close to the base of the tower. He pulled out a bomb and tried throwing it close to the stone slabs, but the explosion came short of impacting the stone. “If I could just knock down those stones, maybe I could form a bridge from them.”

“That could work.” Kohga pondered, “Maybe you can stasis one of those crates and use it to knock them down?”

“Worth a shot.” After several dozen hits, the buildup of the momentum launched the metal cube straight towards its intended target and hit the stone hard enough causing a domino effect to occur.

“Hell yeah! Now how are we going to get over there?”

“Maybe we could launch ourselves with the crates?” Link suggested undecidedly.

“Ah, of course, that way we can give ourselves a great chance of taking a swim in the bog.” Kohga snarked while crossing his arms.

“Only if you’re slow.” Link returned cheekily. 

Kohga lightly scoffed. He was enjoying Link’s blooming sass. “Fair point, but how do you plan to get back afterwards?”

“Oh, right.” The boy’s expression suddenly wilted at the realization that his idea would leave them stranded.

“Didn’t think that far ahead huh, big shot?”

“Guess that’s why you’re our leader.” he said with an abashed grin.

“Damn right. Now hang on lemme see the slate.”

Link handed Kohga the Sheikah slate, wondering what thought had crossed his mind. Kohga looked over the runes, reading the descriptions of their functions once more. The only rune they hadn’t tried using was cryonis, “Create a pillar of ice from a water surface. I wonder?” Kohga held out the slate, and to his surprise, he formed a block of ice atop the mire.

“Master that’s it! We can get across with the ice pillars!”

“Well, what do you know?”

Forming three pillars at a time, the two leaped their way to the stone slabs and could finally climb up the tower. It was a bit of an endurance test, but they made their way up without a hitch. There wasn’t much at the top of the tower, just a pedestal like the ones outside of the shrine entrances. This one however had a rectangular groove indented in its center. Link pulled out the Sheikah slate, seeing that it matched the space on the pedestal, and carefully placed it in. He heard a soft click, then the slate was flipped, and the surface of the pedestal rotated counterclockwise. The slate then prompted a new message: _Sheikah Tower activated._ The tower suddenly flared up with a blue glow momentarily before another message appeared.

 _Scanning area._

Just above the pedestal, a stalagmite-like part of the tower lit up with blue ancient text and as if it were water, they flowed down the stone. A single drop of blue energy fell onto the slate, which seemed to have been instantly absorbed by the slate without wetting it. The screen flashed blue and revealed a detailed geographic map of the region. _Regional map extracted._ The pedestal automatically returned the slate, to which Link eagerly retrieved to study the new section of the map. 

“Ah, so that’s how it works.” Kohga exclaimed while looking over Link’s shoulder.

“But it doesn’t show us any new shrine locations.” 

“Hmm, looks like you’ll just have to find them on your own.” Kohga gave Link an encouraging slap on the back before turning to look towards the view from the tower, “But man, get a load of this view!”

Link walked over to where Kohga was standing, just at the tower’s edge. They were so high up the temperature was chill enough for him to see his breath. As if the sight from the tower was enough to give him chills all on its own. Link had no words that could properly express what he felt as he let his eyes absorb the beauty and magnificence of the expanse of Hyrule. From the daunting embers of Death Mountain to the lush fields of central Hyrule, to the distant snowcaps and everything in between. There laid the majesty of the land all for Link to see. Even though he couldn’t see them, Link felt as if he could sense all the living things in Hyrule were down there, breathing as one. The animals bustling across the land were little more than ants on the natural terrain. It reminded Link how he himself was also a part of it, small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. This wasn’t disconcerting though. Surprisingly, there was a sense of peace brought on by this epiphany. 

“Beautiful isn’t it?” Kohga mused while eyeing Link.

The young Hylian oblivious to Kohga’s gaze could only respond in awe, “Yeah.”

“You can even see Hyrule castle.”

Link could make out the shadowy gleam of the dark energy that surrounded the gloomy castle in the distance. He had never been there, but even from this distance, he could tell the place was massive and by the accounts of others, crawling with monsters. It was where Calamity Ganon remained confined by the power of the vile princess of Hyrule. A sense of worry crept its way into Link’s heart.

“Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting we go there, yet.” Kohga patted Link’s shoulder reassuringly.

“Do you really think we can free him?” He looked to his master with an apprehensive expression. 

“I have absolute faith in your potential Link. Together there won’t be anything we can’t accomplish.” 

Kohga’s assertion turned Link’s worries into rubble. His master believed in him more than he even believed in himself. How could he just say something like that with no hesitation? Here Link was standing at the top of the tower just moments ago contemplating his insignificance in the universe, and now Kohga had done away with all that and placed him right at the center of it. His words had no trace of doubt. His eyes fell on Link with nothing but esteem. 

“Together?” Link mumbled without thinking.

“Of course.” Kohga beamed.

Link was transfixed in the warmness of Kohga’s gaze. _Together._ It was a promise. An affirmation of the future. A vow that he wouldn’t be alone. He had been longing for this feeling so fiercely that he hadn’t noticed his hand was reaching towards Kohga’s arm. While keeping his eyes on him, Kohga took a step closer to Link and closed the gap between them. Link felt like he should’ve said something but before he could a sharp gust blew over them sending a shiver up Link’s spine. With Kohga so close, he had forgotten how cold it actually was up on the tower. The sun had dipped below the horizon and with it the temperature too. Link reflexively chattered his teeth and hugged his sides, “Shit it's cold!”

“Looks like we better go before you freeze to death.” 

They made their way down the tower and back to the stable with haste. Still chilled to the bone, Link hoped he could find some spicy peppers around so he could use them to make an extra cozy dish.

“I’ll make us some dinner.” The boy offered.

“Anything I could do to help?” 

“Ah well, I’m looking for some peppers.”

“No problem. Hmm, I think I remember seeing some back here.” Kohga pointed to the back end of the stable. Link followed Kohga and lo-and-behold there was a small stalk of spicy peppers. Link bent down to pick the peppers. Looks like there was just enough for the two of them. 

“What are you gonna whip up this time?”

“I think I can-” Before he could finish, Kohga tackled Link to the ground. He heard a feral inhuman hiss come from behind Kohga, and then a moment later a scaly tail darted into the underbrush. 

“Fuck that was close.” 

Link was confused. What just happened? Kohga removed himself, allowing Link to sit upright. It was then he noticed the way Kohga was holding the left side of his arm, “Master? What was that?”

“Nothing much, just a Gerudo sidewinder. You should be more careful though; those little bastards don’t have rattles, so they’re easy to miss.”

“You were bit?!” It was all coming together, Kohga had saved him from a deadly snakebite, “No, no!” Link had gone into full panic mode, “Master you’re going to die, because of me!” The dread of the situation flooded Link’s eyes with tears while his mind spiraled.

Kohga shakily stood up and waved his hand nonchalantly, “What? Nah I’ll be fine.” He took a step back and lost his footing, but Link caught him just in time. “Not gonna lie though, it still hurts like a bitch.”

However, Link wasn’t listening; his mind was racing, “We have to get you help! A doctor! We need to find a doctor.”

“Link I swear, I’ll be-” Kohga’s breathing became heavy, making it difficult to argue with the boy. “I just need… to lie down … for a bit.”

Link helped Kohga walk to the stable, he asked Piaffe for a bed, “Hey how about that free bed you owe us?” Piaffe arranged their accommodations immediately and assisted Link with moving Kohga onto the soft mattress. Meanwhile, Kohga was breaking out into a feverish sweat, while Link scoured through his inventory hoping to find something to help keep his master from succumbing to the venom. 

“Link.” Kohga groaned weakly.

Link retrieved a hearty potion and gave it to Kohga, “Please Master drink this! You can’t die now, you just can’t!” 

Kohga removed the cork from the vial with his teeth and downed the potion, “Ah! That’s actually quite good.” The effects of the potion worked almost immediately, allowing Kohga’s breathing to become stable once more. Though it didn’t cure him it seemed to have significantly lessened the pain. 

Link was tugging frantically at Kohga’s hands, “Master, please don’t die. I-I” His voice trailed off when Kohga’s hand cupped Link’s cheek unexpectedly. 

“Link calm down. I’m not going to die.”

“B-but the snake, its venom, it's deadly.”

“It’s fine. I trained my body to resist all kinds of deadly poisons.”

“Wha? You’re not joking, are you?” Link’s panic was finally starting to subside.

“I am completely serious. I’m not gonna die from the venom. My grandad used to inject me with stuff like this since I was a kid. I’ve been through way worse, believe me.” Not having much energy, Kohga had to let his hand drop to his side. 

Link let out a startled gasp.

“It’s ok. I’m just tired.” Kohga reassured. 

Link got up from the bed thinking it’d be best to let Master Kohga rest undisturbed, but Kohga had latched onto his hand keeping him from leaving.

“Could you? That is if it’s not too much to ask. Would you stay?” Kohga pleaded softly.

Perhaps it would have been prudent to ask why, perhaps it would have been rude to question his master. However, none of that mattered to Link, Kohga needed him and that was enough for Link to oblige, “Of course Master.” Link nestled himself next to Kohga, apprehensive but pleased for the chance to be close to him once more.  
“So your Granddad, he taught you a lot of things, hu?” Link hoped talking would help Kohga keep his mind off the pain.

“Yeah...” Kohga stared hard at the cover above them, “He’d stick a needle in me and use a weaker form of the venom or poison to teach my body how to deal with it.”  
“How old were you when he started training you?”  
“The first time? I think I was six.” 

As Kohga spoke, Link noticed a slight fluctuation in Kohga’s voice. It was as though he were parched, and the words were giving Kohga more difficulty to form, “I thought I was gonna die. I couldn’t move and every part of my body felt like it was shot. Sometimes it was like being burned alive on the inside for days. Other times it was like freezing but without being cold, I guess it’s like… what I imagine it feels like when your body loses the life inside it.” Kohga kept his eyes fixed above. It was plain to see that these weren’t fond memories for his master. 

Link felt himself wince. To be put through such harrowing training at a young age it must’ve been beyond awful, “Was it necessary to do all that? You were still just a kid.”

“The sooner the better is what he’d always say. Typically, most Yiga only train in taking life, but I had to be prepared to have my life taken from me. It takes a few years to build a significant resistance to the many venoms and poisons that might be used for an assassination attempt. Back when my grandad was a kid, the Sheikah made several attempts to kill us off, so it just made sense to him to train my father and I the same way.” 

“But didn’t Calamity Ganon weaken their forces significantly during the war?” Link pondered.

“Yeah, they mellowed out after that, but my grandad sure didn’t.” 

“He sounds like he was pretty intense.” 

Kohga was silent for a moment as if he were remembering something particularly upsetting, "He was.”

“So does this mean I’m going to get injected with poison too?” Link said with a bit of worry.

Kohga ruffled Link’s blonde hair playfully, “Nah, there’s no need for that anymore, as long as you promise to be more careful.”

Link felt a lump form in his throat, “I’m sorry Master, I will be.” He sat up, looking at the small but swollen wounds on Kohga’s arm, “Let me take care of you this time.” 

The sudden adamant look in Link’s eyes took Kohga aback. The boy left the bed and went to the stable’s counter, then came back with a handful of supplies. He left the stable once more and returned with a small bowl of boiling water. Using a small swab of cotton, he dipped it into the bowl and then applied the soaked cotton onto Kohga’s wound. He felt a slight sting as he realized that Link must’ve made a solution of saltwater. The boy worked quietly and diligently as he then took some bandages and wrapped Kohga’s arm with them.

“I’m lucky to have such a good nursemaid.” Kohga grinned smugly.

“I’m lucky you were there with me. If it weren’t for you, I’d be dead.” Link said in a serious tone. 

“I guess having a quasi-poison immunity was worth all those years of training.” He said lightheartedly, but Link’s serious expression remained. Kohga gave a dismayed sigh, “What’s the matter now? Are you still worrying about me?”

Link looked Kohga in the eyes, “Obviously!” He looked away, feeling regretful of his tone. He breathed deeply before he spoke once again, “Master. You protect everyone else, but who’s taking care of you?”

Kohga sat up, bringing himself closer to Link’s face, “Are you saying you want to be the one who protects me?”

Link tried holding Kohga’s stare, “I-I, that is…” the boy’s eyes nervously shifted, “Isn’t it natural that I would? You’re the head of the clan.”

“Well naturally, but is that really the only reason?”

Link felt something tugging from inside of him. Was _this_ the other reason he wondered? All this time he’d spent with Master Kohga seeking treasures, training, fighting by his side, having their hypnosis sessions and the more time they spent the more there was something definitely growing between them. Link twisted the fabric of his tunic, “I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me Master, I want…” He wasn’t entirely sure of what it was he wanted and if it was something that his master could or would reciprocate, “I just want you to know that. And I’d,” Link looked Kohga in the eyes once more, “I’d do anything to repay you for it.”

“You’ve already done more than enough for me.” Kohga said while placing the empty potion flask in Link’s hands, “I don’t want you overworking yourself for my account, alright?”

“Alright.” Link replied, looking down at the flask.

“But if there’s anything you need, anything at all don’t hesitate to ask, ok?”

Link gave him a small nod. He got up to leave, but as he looked around, he noticed that all the beds had been filled while they had been talking. 

Kohga followed Link’s gaze, “Looks like we’ll have to share again tonight.” 

“Ah no, it’s ok you should get some rest-”

Kohga cocked an eyebrow, “Link.”

“Ok.”

“Attah boy. Get over here.” Kohga grinned.

Even though he had just done this, Kohga’s insistence made Link joining his master on the bed again unnecessarily embarrassing.

“Do you get cold easily?” Kohga asked while pulling up the blanket to tuck both of them in.

“No, not with you around.” Link blushed at his own words. _Ah, why did I add that last part? Was it weird I said that? Why am I overthinking this so much?_

“You seem tense.”

“Do I?”

“Are you having nightmares again?”

“No, no nightmares thankfully.”

“Hmm. Is there something else on your mind?”

“No.” It was hard avoiding Kohga’s gaze with his face literally right next to him, “Well actually. . .”

“Yes?”

Since Kohga mentioned nightmares it reminded Link of something he’d been wondering for a while since he started doing their semi-regular sessions, “Do you ever get asked to hypnotize someone for something besides um, you called it hypnotherapy?”

“Like what exactly?”

“Oh uh, I dunno, I just wondered if anyone has ever wanted you to hypnotize them just cuz?”

“Hmm. Is that what you want?”

“I umm. . .”

Kohga placed his hand on one of Link’s and began tracing a small circle on the boy’s open palm with his index finger, “You enjoy being hypnotized?” His voice was deep and calm, a question without surprise.

“Well uh, yeah, I guess I do.” Link admitted. He watched Kohga’s finger continuously move in a circular motion. It was like a feather gliding smoothly on his skin, just a light touch that was barely perceivable, “Is that weird? That I like this sort of thing?”

“Not really. It's relaxing. It's pretty normal to enjoy something that relaxes you.”

“That’s good.” He replied heedlessly, “I don’t want you to think I’m weird.” He said with an airy voice. 

“I’ve no judgment to pass onto you, Link. You can be open and honest with me about anything, as much as you like.”

“Thank you, Master, that’s really nice of you.”

Kohga watched as Link’s eyelids began to droop, “Perhaps you’ve noticed.” He continued to glide his finger along Link’s palm. 

“Hmm?” The sensation of the repetitive touch was oddly soothing. Link didn’t even think it strange that he found himself fixated on the seemingly innocuous gesture.

“Every time you return to a tranced state it makes you happier. Isn't that right?” Kohga intoned pleasantly.

“Yeah.” A placid smile formed on Link’s face carelessly.

“Hmm. I wonder why that is?”

“I don’t know.” The boy said while he blinked slowly.

“Perhaps there’s something in it that provides a certain need you may lack in your day-to-day.”

“Maybe.”

“Is there anything that comes to mind?” He probed casually.

“Mmhmm.”

“Can you name one for me?”

“Free… I feel more free.” Link responded with a drowsy quality to his voice. 

A smug grin sprawled itself across Kohga’s face, “Ah yes, freedom. It's only natural to feel a greater sense of freedom as you go deeper and deeper into trance.”

“Yeah.”

“To go deeper into trance is to experience more of that freedom. And to have freedom is to let go completely.”

“Uh huh.”

Pleased with how easily Link was being induced, Kohga continued with briskness, “Giving in deeper and deeper. Letting go of all thoughts, freeing your mind and giving in to my words.”

“Umhmmm.” Link replied with his eyes half-closed.

“Perhaps you’ll be tempted to go deeper for me. Deeper and deeper, so you may be free of all thoughts.”

“Yes.” the boy sighed happily.

“Yes, it feels so good to go deeper for me. You’ll keep dropping deeper and ever so much deeper until your mind is completely blank.”

“Y-yes.” Link’s eyes were nearly closed.

“Drop. Free of all thoughts.

Drop. Focused on my words.

Drop. Happily empty.”

Link let out a deep sigh. 

“Very good Link. Now that you’re wonderfully empty wouldn’t it be nice to play with other parts of your mind?”

“Yes.” The boy whispered dreamily.

“There’s something you’d like, isn’t there? Tell me, Link, what’s something you wish for right now?”

“I want you close... closer to me Master.”

Kohga finally removes his finger from Link’s palm, but the soothing sensation remains as if he hadn’t. Kohga wrapped his arm around Link’s waist and pulled the boy closer to him, bringing their bodies flush against one another. “Like this?” He purred softly into Link’s ear.

A coquettish sigh escaped from Link’s lips, “ _Yes._ ”

“Something tells me you’d like to feel even more.”

“Yes, please Master.” he almost moaned.

“Alright, the sensation on your palm. Wouldn’t it be fun to feel that somewhere else?”

“Mmhmm.”

“When I count down from five, the feeling will jump to the place that your body yearns for touch the most. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.”

“Ahhhh!” Link’s back arched as suddenly he felt the sensation transfer to one of his nipples. His eyes shut tightly as the circling touch continued to tease him.

“Oh my, did you pick someplace naughty?” Kohga discerned from the boy’s rose-colored face, “Then perhaps, we should allow it to multiply. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.”

“Uuuhhhh!” His sensitive glands tingled with the sensation of being rubbed so enticingly he was quickly becoming enamored with arousal. It was torturous, but at the same time, the last thing Link wanted was for it to stop.

With both nipples being thoroughly teased, another part of Link responded. With their bodies so close together, Kohga instantly noticed when Link’s nether region had hardened. 

“My, my Link,” Kohga gently caressed the side of the boy’s cheek. Link whimpered helplessly in response to the man’s delicate touch, needing more of it. Kohga let his hand reach to the back of the boy’s head and massaged his scalp, “So this is what you wanted? You’re such a lewd boy, lusting for your Master? I would have never imagined.”

“Yes, yes please Master,” Link clutched onto the fabric of Kohga’s shirt, the teasing of his nipples and the sensual touch on his scalp both driving him mad with pleasure, “I need, I need . . .”

“Tell me, Link. Tell me what you desire.” Kohga used his other arm to wrap around the boy’s waist like he had done so earlier. 

Link’s moans came in little huffs of pleasure, “C-come. I need it.”

Kohga chuckled at how helpless Link was to his own lust, “I’ll see what I can do for such a shameless boy.”

“Please Master Kohga, _please_.” 

“You’re so close now, aren’t you? You just need that feeling to multiply once more. You know where you want it. Let it ravish you. In five. Four. One.”

Link couldn’t believe what was happening to his body. The same tantalizing sensation had spread to his cock, sending boundless waves of pleasure. He moaned loudly. Being effectively free of his inhibitions, he couldn’t stop himself from filling the stable with his lewd voice. And despite the obscenity of the situation, no one had the guts to say anything to the two men.

“ **Good boy** , now let it take you to the edge of ecstasy.”

Link’s toes curled as he shrieked in pleasure. He was flooded with a sensation of pure bliss. He didn’t know if it would ever stop and truthfully; he wasn’t sure if he wanted it to.

Kohga whispered ever so quietly into Link’s ear, “Come.”

Link’s voice hitched as he finally climaxed in his trousers. Kohga held Link tightly as the boy bucked wildly into Kohga’s embrace, spreading some of the moisture onto his pants. Which didn't bother Kohga in the least, as he enjoyed the perverseness of it as Link continued to tremble with elation. 

“How was that?” Kohga asked, already knowing the answer.

“A-amazing.” Link managed breathlessly from the affair.

“It's time to wind down. My touch fading. You need some rest, now don’t you?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Let that wonderful wave of pleasure stay with you and lull you to sleep.”

Just like with every other suggestion Link was given, his mind quickly took it in and made it so. The tingling sensation faded, and the glow of his climax made quick work of his remaining consciousness.


	4. Stirring the Pot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link confronts Kohga. Teru joins Link on his shrine hunt.  
> ******  
> WARNING!!!: The following chapter contains scenes of emotional manipulation, gaslighting, and physical harm. Tags have been updated to reflect the new content.  
> *******

!̸̸̢̠͈̰͙̘̗͖̪̤̫̟͕̤̅̓̄͂͋͒̀̔̀̆ͬ̍̄͟͠ͅe̔̈́̑̄̑ͮͫ͒ͧ̔ͨͧ͐̑ͨͭͬ̚̕͠҉͔͚͉̩͙̘̩̩̖͓y̛͊ͩ̑ͤ̌͊ͤ̅ͬ̄̆̀̌̿́̋̚͜͝҉̱̪̬̞̩̹̺̗͕̟͇͕̯͕̻ē̷̮̭̗̗̱ͪ̊̒͗̏̃̾̐͢͟͠͠ş̸̷͉͍̦͓̲͉̖͙̬͓͍̗̹̝̮̺̱̿ͧͬ̿͋̃̾̇̆̆̄̅̒ͪͫ͡͠ ̴̴̧̧̫̰̯͕͈̞͕̣͖͇̟̰̜͓͓͍̥͎̏̽ͣͥ͆ͥ̐͆̂ͪ̓́͒ͤ̿̿͡ͅr̵̷̫͕͔̞̫̺̹̼̼ͦͭ͂̄͜o̡̧̘͕̝̬ͮͯͯͫ̅ͭͫ̀ͯ͋̂͐͜͟͞u̵̯̗̬̮̟̞͙̤̺̅̐̍̍̌ͅy͂̅̓̇ͩͫ̐ͤͣ̆̂̍ͨ͑̅ͪ̇̀̕͢͜͏̜̝̖ ̷̩̫͚̜̩̮͎̤͖̞̰̥͎͖̰̲̹̰̊̃͊ͦ͑̃͑ͩ͗́n̡̼̜̪͔̳͇͖͔͚͒ͭ͋ͭ͆̊̿ͩͦ̉̂̔̔ͪ͜͞ȩ̵̜͖̣̝̳̪̙͇̦̫̣̖̥̣̖͔ͧ̄͑̆͑̄̔ͯ̀̔͟͠p̷̨̙̲̙̥̘̣̮̤̲͚̙̝̮̻̹̟̔ͯ̇ͪ̄ͬ̽̂́̄͛̉ͬ̏͋ͮ̈ͥ̀ͅo̸̢̫͖̳̣̭̰̟̭̯̘̲̩͙͎͒ͯ͐ͧ͊ͥ͆́ͮ̾͂͘͟ ̴̑ͫ͆̓ͥͥ̈̏̓͒̎͛ͣͦ̌̂̇̈́̚͏͈͍̜͈̭̦͎͉̤̪͉͈̥̫̗̣̙̩̥̀͢,̷̢͎͍͔̭͍̫̭̳̜͎̥̝̩̙͍̤̼͙͋̔̉̃̊͗ͪ͊̉̓́͜͡ ̸̵̧̲̫̯͍̯̰͕̩͙̽̋ͬͥͫͬ͑ͯ̃͜k̸̡̯̺̝̗̩̈́ͨͯ̅̋́͟͝n͑ͤͫ̇̔̉̍̽ͧ̄̿͐̄̽̌̚͏̷̷́͏̘̳͖̫̹͚͚̹̝̤̜͍̥i̴̮̜͇͔͕̯̿̓͋̿̍ͩ̇ͪ̇͆͗́ͧ́̾͞L̷̡̙̥̙̰̞̰̦̺͙͎̥͉̙̘̪͊̉̒͒̓̈́͐̎ͥͦ̓̉͊̓̒̽̀͞͡ ̶̭͓̱͇̟̙ͤ̽̈́ͨ̾̔̈̋̍͂́̚p̡̧̮͎̺̯͓̼̤̖̞͇̗ͧ͑ͫ̿̆̇̌̀̅͆ͤͯ̏̒͊̇͜͞͡ů̶̢̙̩̖̥̪̟̙͓̮͚͙͔͔̦͎̖͋̐ͮͯ̊͐̾ͥ̑͐͒̊͊̏͝͡ ̷͐̃͑ͤͤͦͦ̌̃̈́̍̆͗ͭ҉͔̬͎̱̥̞e̷̵̲̦͇͓̦͕̿͂̓̄̍̅ͦ̑͝ͅͅk͉̞̟͙̥̗̯̞̥̥̰̲̗̼͎̯̺̞ͫ͑̋͌̒̔̓͐̃̉ͫͦ̓͋͑́̀͘̕ạ̴̸͇͍̲̠̹͙͇̭̮̫̻͇̼ͦ̎͂̆̿͟W̴̨̃̂͐͂͂͘͏̜̘͖̥̲̹͔̠̰̙̻̤͙̠

Link’s eyes flung open. He felt the pillow under his head and the soft mattress of the stable bed. He was hesitant to get up, to face the new day. Someone was missing from the opposite side of the bed. Did he want to see them? Call out to them? Hide from them? 

Link didn’t know. Everything inside him felt jumbled up. He was scared. Scared at what would happen next. 

Reluctantly he sat up. He looked around but Master Kohga was nowhere to be found. _That wasn’t a dream._ Link remembered everything. Vividly. 

_Master Kohga and I … we …_ Link replayed the scene of events over and over in his mind:

_What’s something you wish for right now?_

_I want you close… Ahhhhh!_

_Oh my, did you pick someplace naughty? … So, this is what you wanted?_

He held his chest tightly afraid its contents would overwhelm him. _But I did … ask for this?_ He worded his thoughts slowly as if to postpone making them any more real. He _had_ asked Kohga to hypnotize him, but he hadn’t imagined that it would have led to, well, sex. 

The blood rushed to his cheeks while his heart felt like it was tinged with grime. _How could I be so stupid?_ _What’s going to happen now? … Where is he?_

He made his way to the reception desk to ask Piaffe if he had seen his master. 

“Hey.” 

“Mr. Lee! Good morning sir!” Piaffe yelped uncharacteristically jumpy. The man’s eyes darted nervously avoiding Link’s at all cost. 

“Have you?" he began, but Piaffe’s nervousness proved more distracting, “What’s wrong?” 

“Oh, it's nothing, sir. It’s just, ah this may sound rude, but” the man leaned over the counter to whisper to Link, “Could you and your partner keep it down next time?” 

The embarrassment burned brightly on Link’s face. Link now understood Piaffe’s awkwardness; he felt like an idiot for not realizing it sooner.

“I uh, I’m so sorry about that. I-t won’t happen again, I promise!” Link bowed deeply before making a hasty retreat outside the stable. 

Some of the patrons from last night were still here and they looked at Link with awkward if not downright judgmental stares. As he walked past them, he could hear them whisper behind him most assuredly commenting on his indecency. He could feel their eyes on him as his skin began to prickle. He quickly scanned the area and found Master Kohga by the outdoor cooking pot. He rushed over to him desperate to get out of the stable folk's line of sight.

“Link! Good morning.” Kohga stood up greeting Link with a broad smile. 

The worry Link thought he would've felt when he met eyes with Kohga dissipated instantly. There was only a warm fluttering in his chest and something about that made Link's cheeks tinged in a light rouge. 

“Ah, good morning.” Link replied timidly. 

“I tried making us some breakfast.” Kohga handed Link a plate of nearly blackened rice and extra crispy eggs. “Sorry. I think I overdid them a bit.” 

“It’s fine.” Though the food didn’t look very appetizing the gesture warmed his heart. 

Kohga placed his hand on the boy’s back and Link allowed himself to be guided to sit next to his master. He took a couple of spoonfuls, then realizing how hungry he was he promptly scarfed down the whole plate. Link looked over at Master Kohga who was still eating. 

“So, um about last night?” Link spoke softly.

Upon finishing his plate Kohga returned Link’s gaze. 

“I …" Link was trying to find the words but he couldn’t decide how to begin. So much had happened and all too quickly. It was too much, his heart felt like a knot. 

Kohga patiently waited for Link to speak. His expression was unreadable. It was somewhat unnerving. 

Link recalled his conversation with Piaffe. His behavior had been shameful, but it wasn’t his fault, right? 

_I was hypnotized. If it wasn’t because of that, I wouldn’t have been so loud. What am saying? I wouldn’t have been humiliated in front of all those people last night!_

Link stood up suddenly his voice was a shaky shout, “You shouldn’t have done that!” 

Kohga leaned back, “What are you referring to exactly?” 

Now it was hitting him, fervid anger. The fact that he had to spell it out was even more humiliating.

“I …” Link had to consciously will himself to keep from trembling out of rage, “I trusted _you_ and you had sex with me.”

Kohga crossed his arms, “Hold on. First of all, we did not have sex. You had an orgasm and I never even touched you. And secondly who is the one who asked to be hypnotized?” 

“I-I did, but I didn’t want-” 

“You did want it. I only ever asked you what you wanted during the session. I know you remember. Or are you going to deny that too?” 

“I’m not denying anything!” 

“Then explain why you asked me to hypnotize you last night?” 

“I-I don’t know. I just.” 

“You don’t know?” He chided with a slight timbre of mockery in his voice. 

Kohga stood up. He took two steps towards where Link stood, “You accuse me of betraying your trust but it's you Link.” Kohga loomed over Link while the deepness of his voice commanded his undivided attention, “You’re the one lying to yourself. Once you were under trance your subconscious desires spoke freely _and_ truthfully.” 

Kohga held Link’s arms. The boy tried shoving them away but Kohga’s grip remained firm, “You remember what I told you don’t you? If there was ever anything you needed, you needn’t hesitate to ask. I meant what I said Link. You asked this of me, and I took care of you. It didn’t matter what it was, because that is my vow as a leader.” 

Link wanted to object, he still hated how he felt about the whole ordeal but Kohga’s stare was near impossible to break free from. Without even realizing it he was already losing the battle. Those radiant golden eyes dominated him, quelling his ability to fight back, like a fire being smothered.

Seeing the boy’s struggle die down, Kohga loosened his grip on Link’s arms, “What are you afraid of?” 

_Afraid?_ Link thought he was angry with Kohga. He was angry, wasn’t he? Except now he felt something like fear vexing the back of his mind. The more Link looked into Kohga’s eyes the more ashamed he felt rendering his voice no louder than a whisper, “Why didn’t you stop me? I was, in front of all those people.” 

Kohga’s voice shifted to a gentler tone, “Are you upset with how much you enjoyed it?” 

“I didn’t enjoy it.” 

“Link, what did I just say about being honest? It's alright if you did.” 

The boy shook his head, “No. That can’t be. I-I’m not like that.” 

Kohga let go of Link’s arms, “So you say, yet you still asked for it despite being aware of all the people around you. In fact, because you were under hypnosis, you were actually hyperconscious. So you definitely weren’t opposed to having an audience.” 

Link covered his mouth with his hands, reeling with contempt for himself. He remembered how he felt. He still didn’t want to believe it, but he couldn’t refute Kohga’s words. 

“Link,” Kohga gently pulled Link’s chin upward to look up at him again, “If there’s something you can’t face then perhaps, we should hold off on any further sessions.” 

Sudden panic hit Link, “What? Why?” 

“If you’re not ready to take responsibility for your own unconscious desires or otherwise then it’d be best to avoid putting you in that position. I’m your leader, not your ward. I can’t protect you from yourself.” 

“But-” Link was cut off by another voice that was fast approaching. 

“Master Kohga!”

The freckled-faced young man took a moment to catch his breath, “Thank goodness I found you!” He looked as though he’d just ran a marathon. 

“Jinsai, what’s the matter?” Kohga spoke with tangible concern. 

“It’s back. A Lynel has been spotted close to the hideout.” 

Kohga’s face turned grim, “I appreciate you coming out here to notify me Jin. I’ll see the two of you back at camp.” 

Without waiting for a response from either of them, Kohga blurred out of existence. Only a plume of dust lay in his wake. 

“Sweet Farosh! He sure is fast when he needs to be!” the young man exclaimed while he removed the sweat from his brow. 

Link cursed to himself _,_ the timing was terrible. There was still more he wanted to say to Kohga but alas he was gone.

“Come on let’s catch up to him.” Link said. 

“Wait, give me a sec. Do you have some water?” 

Link fetched a cup of water for the lithe man. Out of their scouts, Jinsai was one of their best. Fast and nimble with an impressive talent for tracking. 

“Here, drink up.” Link handed his comrade the refreshing drink. 

“Thanks, champ.” Jinsai took the cup and chugged with zeal. “Phew! I needed that. Hey, why don’t we take our time heading back, there’s no way we’d catch up to Master Kohga. That man is a speed demon compared to us.” 

“If you need to rest it's fine Jin, I can go on my own.” Link wanted to get back to the hideout as soon as possible but didn’t want his friend to overexert himself for his sake. 

Jinsai pouted before shaking off some of his weariness, “No, it’s ok.” He leaned down stretching out both legs, “Ok! Ready to haul ass when you are!” 

The two Yiga departed the Gerudo stable and ran towards the hideout as quickly as they could. On the way, Jinsai explained to Link how every blue moon a Lynel would wander close to the camp’s grounds and so as a precaution Master Kohga and a team of foot soldiers would work together to lure the beast further up the Gerudo Highlands.

After about a mile into the desert, a high-pitched ringing noise startled Link to a halt. 

“What the heck is that?” Jinsai asked looking all around in bewilderment. 

The ringing had stopped just as they had. Link took a few steps forward assuming it was his movement that had caused the ringing to go off. And sure enough, the resounding noise continued to emanate from his Sheikah slate. He opened the screen and saw a small blue icon blinking indicating a shrine was nearby.

“It’s a sensor for the shrines.” He explained to his freckled-faced companion.

“Oh, that stuff you and Master Kohga were looking into? Should we look for it?”

Link shook his head, “No. It can wait, we need to get back to camp first.”

They carried at a determined pace. Nor sun, nor sandstorm could slow them down. Thanks to Jinsai navigating through the blinding sandstorms was a breeze. The man knew the desert like the back of his hand. They avoided monster camps without having to take detours a skill Link wished he had, for it made traversing back and forth from camp much faster.

The Sheikah sensor went off a few more times as they continued through the desert but there was no time to check. The safety of the clan came first, though it excited Link that the desert still had many secrets yet to be discovered.

When they reached camp, they were greeted by a tiny pair of hands that waved at them enthusiastically.

“Daddy! Daddy! You’re home!”

Jinsai picked up the small black-haired girl that was jumping eagerly at their feet, “See didn’t I tell you I’d be fast?”

“Super-fast!” the little girl chimed.

Jinsai nuzzled his nose against his daughter’s cheek, causing her to giggle, “Hey Mila honey, where’s mama? Shouldn’t you be with her?”

Mila shrugged innocently.

“She’s fast, like her father.” A tired voice said from a distance.

Link watched as Kohma, dragged her feet over to meet with her husband and daughter. Knowing how fleetfooted Jinsai was, there was no doubt that Mila must be a challenge for both parents to keep tabs on at all times.

Kohma suddenly turned to Link, “Oh, Link! Master Kohga asked me to relay a message to you. He said …” The long black-haired woman brought her fist to her forehead momentarily losing her train of thought. “Oh, that’s right! He said to go to his office, he left something for you there.”

“Oh, thanks Kohma. Thanks, Jin.”

“Ah, think nothing of it champ. We’ll catch you later then?”

“Yeah see ya. Bye Mila.”

“Bye Link!” she waved her tiny hand vivaciously.

Link hurried to Master Kohga’s room which doubled as his “office”. There on his desk lay a sophisticated artifact with a note attached to it saying: _“A paraglider to help you on your mission.”_

“I take it you’re all set then?”

Link was startled to see Teru waiting at the door, “Teru what’re you?”

“Master Kohga asked me to assist you in finding more shrines.” He said flatly with his arms crossed.

“Oh. Well, thanks but I was actually going to go help with the Lynel.”

“Yeah, about that, Kohga’s orders were for you to stay focused on the shrines. So you won’t be joining them.”

“Oh. Ok then.” Link looked back at the paraglider dejected. Compared to a Lynel the shrines didn’t feel like a crucial mission to be on at the moment.

“Do you need to restock on items? Because I’d rather we get going as soon as we can.”

“Uh, yeah. Just give me a few minutes.”

“Sure. I’ll be waiting at the entrance.” Teru turned and left.

Link changed out of his soiled clothing and into his Yiga armor. He then grabbed provisions from the kitchen before meeting Teru at the camp’s entrance. Link was grateful he wouldn’t need his traveler disguise since he was paired with Teru for today. His comrade preferred to work fast and avoid civilians whenever possible.

Link suggested that they head east towards where the Sheikah sensor had alerted him earlier of a shrine’s presence. Teru without question obliged. He seemed intrigued by the Sheikah slate, even asking Link to allow him to examine it. Though Link couldn’t help feeling there was some sort of distance between them that hadn’t been there before.

“So, did I do something that upset you?” Link inquired cautiously.

“Why do you ask?” Teru looked at Link with a stern face.

“Because you’re acting like you were forced to do this.”

“I was.”

“Right but, it feels like you kinda hate me now.”

“I hate everyone, you know that.”

“I know but-”

“You’re being stupid. Now, where is this shrine anyway?”

Link sighed in defeat. 

They continued their trek through the harsh wasteland when finally they came to a pass near the Great Cliffs when the sensor began to chime. They could see another Sheikah tower up ahead of them, though the sensor seemed to indicate the shrine was not quite in the same direction as the tower.

“That ringing is starting to get annoying.” Teru grumbled.

“I know but bear with it there’s a sandstorm up ahead, so it’ll help us get through-” Just as they reached one of the archways of the Great Cliffs they were engulfed in the sandstorm and the Sheikah slate went silent.

“Uh.” Link opened the slate to see his map had become static.

“What’s the matter?”

“I uh. I think the sandstorm is messing with the slate.”

“Great, so now what?”

“It’s gotta be around here. Maybe we’re close?”

“Suuuure, maybe we could just waste our time wandering aimlessly hoping to just stumble across it, or maybe it’s still miles away from us.”

Link clenched his fist this was becoming more a test of patience than anything else. It always was with Teru. He took a deep breath determined to keep his cool, “Please, can we just try?”

Teru sighed obnoxiously, “Fine, only because I know you’ll get lost if I leave you out here on your own.”

Unsure of where to go Link decided to just walk north. He followed the side of the cliff, at least that way he wouldn’t end up walking in circles. The sandstorm was quite dense only allowing a couple of feet ahead of visibility. Beyond that everything became an ominously darkened blur. They found some ore deposits as the wall of the cliffs began to bend. Using his bombs Link procured several salt and amber deposits, and even some opal and ruby too.

“Teru, some rare ore! See it’s not a total waste of time.” Link exclaimed cheerfully.

Teru merely rolled his eyes.

_Jeez, what’s his deal?_

Link decided to circle back. Due to the thickness of the sandstorm, it was possible the shrine might be closer to them than they’d be capable of perceiving, so it seemed prudent to retread the area. Link just hoped he’d find the shrine sooner rather than later. Luckily on his way back, he saw the silhouette of a shrine that stood atop a rather large and imposing rock.

“There!” Link dashed towards the shrine. With newfound urgency, Link climbed up to where the shrine lay.

Though Link didn’t see it, Teru was visibly impressed with Link’s agility to scale the rock. However, what Link did see was Teru struggling to reach him. Link lent him a hand, to which Teru was silently grateful that the boy didn’t take the chance to ridicule him for his lack of athletic ability. 

One short elevator trip down and Teru was floored by what he saw.

“Goddesses in the heavens!”

“If you think this is impressive wait till you see what’s at the end of it.” Link smiled smugly.

“Are you kidding me,” Teru quickly made himself personally acquainted with one of the lamp pillars, “This straw rope style of sculpting, the symmetry and arrangement of this room is incredible!”

Link gawked in response, never expecting to see the man so keen on anything. Teru stood up seeming self-conscious due to his sudden one-eighty.

“I mean, it’s not like I expect a lout like you to understand.”

Link just smiled, this new side of Teru was far more intriguing than his usual unfriendly front.

As he made his way through the temple, he noticed Teru jotting down notes on a small pad. From the corner of his eye, he saw several rough sketches of the various objects that resided in the shrine.

“What’s with all the scribbling?” Link inquired curiously.

“Did you actually think I came here just to watch you dick around.” Teru responded flatly.

“No, of course not. I just expected you to be an asshole for the whole mission.”

For just a moment Link thought he saw Teru’s lips crack a smile.

“Its research. I’ve been studying the remains of the Sheikah for a few years now.”

“Really, what for?”

Teru sighed, while he looked straight ahead, “Don’t you ever wonder how things ended up this way?”

“What do you mean exactly?”

“The Sheikah were the most technologically advanced society how did they even make all this stuff in the first place? And why would they just give it all up?”

“Because of the royal family, right?”

“Still, they could’ve overthrown them. Why would they just resign to living like peasants for a bunch of privileged snobs?”

Teru’s chestnut eyes looked pained. Link wondered what would’ve become of their clan if they hadn’t split from the Sheikah. No doubt that Teru had meditated on this same line of thought many times before. Perhaps he could fathom some prosperous future that could’ve been theirs had history taken a different route.

To arrive at the monk’s enclosure Link and Teru took one final ride on a moving platform. When they hopped off onto their destination Teru froze upon seeing the monk. Link went on as usual and received the spirit orb. As the monk began to disappear Link heard the soft _plop_ of Teru’s notepad falling onto the floor. Link picked it up and returned it to the wide-eyed Yiga.

“Are you going to be ok?” Link asked seeing his comrade was staring past him.

Teru drew in a deep breath, regaining his composure. He retrieved his notepad from Link and spoke softly, “Yeah. I’m just…”

Link remained silent waiting for Teru to complete his sentence, but the young man simply remained silent, his eyes stuck on the cover of his notebook. Teru looked back at where the monk was, drinking in the details with his eyes.

“Um, we should go soon Teru.” Link awkwardly moved past Teru. He didn’t know what to make of him in this state. Teru just nodded and followed Link back out.

When they emerged from the shrine, they were pleasantly surprised to see the sandstorm had passed. Link looked out to the dunes and cliffs mesmerized in its beauty once again.

“So, where to next?” Teru asked.

Link scratched his head, “Well, I guess we could go back home now. I don’t have any other leads.”

Teru slumped in disappointment, “Oh, alright then.”

Over the past months of reacquainting himself with the young man, Link came to expect Teru’s unsociable personality, and never found his quiet demeanor off-putting. However, as they walked through the sand Link felt himself being suffocated by the silence. He supposed it was normal to be surprised to see another side of his brother in arms but even so, he felt compelled to break the silence.

“I don’t suppose you’d have any ideas where to find more shrines?”

Teru continued his pace seemingly unconcerned.

“Uh, Teru?”

“I heard you. I’m just thinking.” Teru’s brow slowly creased as he held his chin with one hand, “The Sheikah were above all other things very secretive. So it stands to reason that there should be other shrines that remain hidden.”

“Like how the last one was hidden by the sandstorm?” Link discerned.

“Precisely. The one near camp was initially underground so, there are probably others like it.”

“I haven’t seen any other pedestals like the one it had. We probably should start searching beyond the desert.”

“That’s a given, so sure. But if every hidden shrine was marked by the same feature it wouldn’t be much of a secret now would it?”

Link could only look to Teru with a perplexed expression. He’d never given the presentation of the shrines much thought.

“Ok. Let’s suppose you’re right. How would we know we’ve found a feature or clue to tell us there’s another hidden shrine around?”

“To tell you the truth, I don’t know. But most likely there’d be something Sheikah related to clue us in. I think.”

“But didn’t you just say if they were all the same- “

“Yes, I know what I said.”

“So then what you’re actually saying is that it could be anything?” Link said with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes.”

“Well, glad that narrows it down.”

“I never said it would be easy.”

“Well, I guess all we can do is keep an eye out for anything unusual.” The blonde shrugged.

“There may be something I can cross-reference with what I gathered today. I might be able to find us some kind of lead or guiding principle.”

“Could you really?”

“I can try, at least.”

Link looked at Teru with big and bright eyes.

“Wipe that stupid grin off your face. I wouldn’t be much of a researcher if I couldn’t do something as simple as that.”

“Admit it, you do like helping.” Link jabbed playfully.

“Shut up.” He pouted.

By the time the two young men returned to the mouth of the Karasu Valley the sun had reached its zenith. The slender sandstone pillars greeted them with their long shadows. An optimal zone of shelter where Link took the chance to snag a bird for lunch. He steadied his bow ready to strike when unexpectedly he saw a blinding light glint from beyond his target.

“Hey, Teru!” Link called out, forgetting the bird altogether.

“What?”

“I’m gonna go check something out. I’ll be right back.”

“What for?” Teru said sounding annoyed.

Link hardly wanted to explain the concept of Koroks to his grouchy companion, so he ran off pretending he hadn’t heard him. Teru reluctantly followed the blonde further out into the barren land.

Link followed the blinking light towards an archway that seemed quite out of place. As he got closer, he found himself faced to face with a statue of what looked like a Gerudo warrior holding out a real sword in her dominant hand. He looked around the statue and what was left of the archway, but to his disappointment, the Korok’s signature wood-like tinkling was nowhere to be heard.

“What do you think you’re-” Teru lost his train of thought once he saw the statue.

“I thought maybe it was something but never mind. Let’s go.”

“No, hold on.” Teru inspected the stone closely, “This could be.” He ran his fingers across the effigy. His eyes rapidly switching from the arches to the warrior, and to the sand surrounding them, “The sword remains.”

Link tilted his head.

“The sword remains!” he repeated enthusiastically.

“What are you talking about?” Link asked.

“See that?” Teru pointed at the eroded engravings on the sides of the archway.

“Yeah?”

“I can’t make out what it says but, I’m sure its ancient Sheikah writing.”

“Ok.” Link stared back a Teru who had a zealous look about him.

“Don’t you get it? This wasn’t made by the Gerudo. The style of the sculpt, its placement it doesn’t match the Gerudo’s architecture ancient or otherwise. And most damning of all the writing is in Sheikah. This statue was made by the Sheikah!”

Link’s eyes lit up, “Which means it’s a sign. For a shrine!”

“Exactly! The writing has been worn by the sandstorms but that’s why the Sheikah left the sword. Because even if the statue lost most of its form the sword would still remain to point us towards the shrine.”

“Teru, you’re amazing!”

Teru shrugged shyly, “Like I said, what good would all those years of studying be if I couldn’t do this much.”

Link grabbed Teru’s hands, “No really, I would’ve never figured it out without your help.”

Link was such a bleeding heart that even Teru couldn’t help becoming embarrassed by the young Hylian’s charm, “Agh, you’re such sap.” He shook away Link’s hold on his hands. “Come on we’ve got a shrine to find.”

The two ran in a straight line in the direction of the silent swordswoman’s pointing blade. A few minutes later they were in the thick of another sandstorm. Link looked back, trying to see if he could still spot the statue but to his dismay, the sandstorm had obscured their only guide.

“Don’t worry just keep moving.” Teru urged.

Teru’s unusual optimism didn’t bode well with Link. Usually, it was the other way around. Now Link was more worried about the possibility that they were truly off base and diving straight into oblivion. Teru however, remained determined and sure enough, they found another statue like their first one, with a sword in hand signaling to them to keep moving forward. The two young men looked at each other relieved to have some assurance that they weren’t just shooting arrows in the dark.

“We just gotta keep going right?” Link asked rhetorically, now more confidant in his comrade’s deductions. Teru nodded encouragingly. 

They pushed forward into the unknown. They passed in between some large rock formations; the details of their surroundings remained largely obscured from them. Unease gripped Link as he continued to move forward since anything could potentially jump out at him at any given moment and he wouldn’t see it coming. Now more than ever he couldn’t afford to let his guard down. And with good reason as there were several clicking and monstrous gurgling that indicated that they were close to a Lizalfos camp. Thankfully since the storm was obscuring so much around them it was safe to say that the monsters were also not privy to Link and Teru’s presence. They slowed their pace momentarily just until they were certain they had passed the camp. Though the fiends may not have good eyesight they’d surely hear them if they treaded carelessly.

After what felt like a rather long stretch, they met once again with another Gerudo swordswoman. This one guiding them to veer towards the right. Link wasn’t sure but it felt like the further they walked the hasher the storm felt. To his surprise a short while later he saw a couple of odd pillars just ahead of him. But as he and Teru drew closer he realized they weren’t stone pillars. No, they were the remains of some bygone beast. And there he saw it. Within the hollow of the enormous skeleton was a shrine, and without a second thought, Link ran towards it with newfound excitement.

“We did it!” He exclaimed with a triumphant smile.

Teru only managed to return Link’s enthusiasm with a small smile, “Come on then, let’s go inside.”

Without further ado, Link activated the shrine and they both went in. Teru once again marveled at the shrine’s interior while Link quickly fulfilled the shrine’s simple task. When they got out of the shrine, the sandstorm had conveniently subsided and the sun was showing its last traces of light on the horizon. Teru expressed his desire to head home, but Link managed to convince him to wait while he climbed the top of the skeleton. When asked why Link only gave Teru a vague answer doubtful the logic-driven scholar would consider the existence of his little forest friends to be anything more than a myth even with his Korok seed as proof. After that, though not a single second of time was wasted on getting back to the hideout.

Link scrubbed the dirt and grime from his body. Washed his hair and rinsed thoroughly before entering the hot spring. He sat in the shallow end of the onsen, which was still deep enough for him to soak his whole body comfortably in the near-boiling water. He closed his eyes, listening to the harmonious chips of the crickets nearby, his only companions in the spring.

He was alone.

Link had invited Teru to join him, but Teru declined due to being too excited to look over his notes. Endai and Ridah were still on a mission with Master Kohga dealing with the Lynel. Given how late it was, everyone else was most likely asleep or getting ready to. It was inevitable he’d sooner or later find himself without company. It shouldn’t have been a big deal, after months without his memories he should’ve gotten used to this by now. But for Link it was in these moments, when there was nothing to do and no one around, that he found it was harder to feel at ease. The silence was like a reminder of the emptiness. Of what remained missing.

He tucked his legs into his chest and held them there. During the day, it was easier to stay distracted but here in the ambience of the onsen his thoughts came bubbling to the surface.

_Master Kohga._

‘ _If there’s something you can’t face... If you’re not ready... perhaps, we should hold off…’_

A frown formed on Link’s brow.

_It’s fine, I don’t need more sessions._

_It’s not though._

_It’s not like I won’t see him anymore._

_That’s not the point._

_It doesn’t matter._

_Yes, it does! I want to be close to him._

_No! Shut up!_

Link wrangled his fingers into his hair.

_I’m happy when he’s around, when we’re together._

_No, stop it! It’s never going to happen!_

_But why?_

_Because!_

_Because what?_

_BECAUSE I’M SCARED!_

“I’m…” Link’s reflection in the water stared back at him with a few tears escaping from his eyes.

Link retreated to his room, ready for bed. Except he couldn’t sleep. He was wide awake. Still thinking. He lay there on his bed for several minutes until he finally decided enough was enough and got up. He went to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea. It didn’t make him anymore sleepy, but it was something at least. He was just about to leave when Mito came in. She greeted him with her usual good-humored voice as she pushed her glasses further up the bridge of her nose, “Oh, Link fancy seeing you here at this hour.”

Mito was a stout middle-aged woman with big curly hair. Most of her head was grey except for the singed curls that bordered her face; that made her look like a cat with frizzed black whiskers.

“Experimenting with pyrotechnics again?” Link guessed.

“Oh! This, well yes. Can’t blame a gal for trying now right?”

She inched closer to Link’s mug, sniffing curiously, “What are you drinking there dear?”

“Tea.”

“Tea?! Move over hon, I need a fresh cup of coffee.”

Link scooted over; Mito was short but quite the firecracker.

“I’m in the middle of revising some tests and I don’t plan on taking any breaks.” She pulled up a stool to elevate herself above the stove. Then with a sort of frenetic but precise energy Mito grounded herself some beans and began to prepare her brew for the long night. While she waited for the water to boil, she turned back to look at Link.

“Are you alright dear? Shouldn’t you be headed for bed?”

“Uh, I’m having trouble sleeping. Again. You wouldn’t happen to have something that could help me with that would you?”

“Hmm.” Her eyes scrunched up, studying Link’s face carefully. She grabbed her pot of coffee then gestured towards Link, “Come with me.”

Link followed Mito to her study. A room that looked too small for the huge stacks of papers and books that covered every inch between the desks they laid on and the walls that enclosed the space around them. In its center was a large table littered with a wide assortment of flasks and test tubes most of which were filled with unknown substances.

“Here. Drink this.”

Link looked at the small cup of strange dark liquid that Mito handed him. He hesitated for a moment sloshing it around in its cup; then downed it in one gulp. He grimaced from the taste that was partly sour and partly bitter.

“It should take effect in a few moments.”

“Uh, shouldn’t I get going before I fall asleep?”

“No need. It won’t cause you any drowsiness.” Mito pulled out a small handbook and flipped through several pages of her chicken scratch.

“Wait, it’s not? Then what did I just drink?”

“Just something I’m currently working on. I figured you’d make a good test subject. Now let’s see.” She got onto a stool and examined Link’s eyes and mouth pulling and tugging him in several directions to get a good look at him. She made several annotations in her booklet then finally gave Link a pat on his head, “Everything looks normal, though if you get some itchiness in your throat later come see me right away. As for your problem, I have some tranquilizers you can help yourself to.”

“Uhhhh.”

“I’m joking darling. If you can’t sleep, there must be something on your mind. Sometimes talking is the best cure for these things you know.”

Link laughed nervously. He was relieved that Mito had been joking about the tranquilizers while at the same time he wasn’t sure he wanted to go into detail about what happened between him and Master Kohga the other night with Mito or anyone for that matter.

“Um, I don’t know if I can.”

“Just talk about how you’re feeling now dear, no need to explain the details to me.”

“Well.” Link looked to the ground, avoiding Mito’s eyes. “If I’m being honest. I’m feeling a bit scared.”

“I see. If I may ask, is it someone or something, you’re afraid of?”

Link stared down into the bottom of his cup as he struggled to answer the question, “It’s kind of both or neither? I’m not really sure.”

“Hmmmm. All I can tell you is sooner or later we all have to face our fears. If we don’t, they’ll keep us frozen in place, or in your case they won’t let you get any sleep.”

“I was afraid you’d say that.”

“It’s ok to feel fear my dear. Just don’t let it stop you from living your life the way you want to live it.”

Link remained silent for a while. Evaluating Mito’s words in his mind. He thought again about his conversation with Kohga. _‘What are you afraid of?’_ Then suddenly another fear snuck upon him, “Mito, what if… I never regain my memories?”

Mito sighed heavily, “Oh Link. I’m no expert on the matter, but don’t lose hope. There’s still a chance you could get some of your memories back.” She took the cup from his hands, “But even if you don’t...” She paused upon, seeing Link’s glum expression, “For now just think of it as a chance to start anew. Don’t think of who you were, just do what makes you happy and who knows. Life may still surprise you.”

Link simply nodded in silence. There really wasn't much else he could do but try to “move on” whatever that meant. He bid Mito a good night and thanked her for lending him her ear, and finally returned to his room.

The next morning Link met with Teru in the dining hall and they discussed his findings. Teru assessed from his research the Toruma Dunes had some auspicious vestiges. Link eager to work on something to keep his mind busy advocated for their immediate departure.

“Hold on, it won’t be that simple.” Teru warned.

“Why?”

“It’ll be extremely dangerous. That area is within the territory of a Molduga.”

“What’s that? Some kind of monster?”

“It’s not just a monster. It’s a behemoth that’ll swallow you like a gnat in its gigantic jaws.”

“Well, we’ve got no other leads, right? So let’s just check it out and if this monster is as bad as you say it is then we’ll head back.”

Teru stared at Link bewildered. Link’s lack of worry made him feel more troubled than the thought of coming face to face with the actual monster. Did he actually think he could take on the beast by himself? Alas, he’d have to accompany Link regardless of his judgment.

After a long trek through the desert, they reached a cliff and saw their destination a few meters below them. The place of interest was a sparse expanse, except for four torches spaced apart from one another. Link recognized the style of torches to be the same as the ones he’d seen within the shrines which meant Teru’s research was right on track. Before they even got close to the torches, they felt the earth beneath them rumble and within minutes the sand began to shift into large dunes that rose and fell as though the ground was alive and breathing. The Molduga was there just waiting for them to get close.

Link pulled out his paraglider ready to just glide down to the area and face the beast head-on but Teru held him back.

“Wait! That thing will sense the moment you touch the ground.”

Link studied the environment. He noticed the torches stood on a sizeable mass of stone, possibly large enough to provide him cover from an attack.

“Then I just need to run fast enough to get onto solid ground where it won’t sense me right?”

“Yes, but-”

Without a second thought, Link took off descending to the area below where his foe awaited him.

Teru felt his breath come to a stop as Link’s superior marksmanship and raw moxie allowed him to prevail against his colossal adversary. With quick-thinking and careful timing Link found that he could lure the Molduga above the sand with his bombs and stun the beast upon contact. Giving him a chance to wail on the creature before it retreated back under the sand. The ugly bastard though large was clearly not so clever and fell for this trap over and over again. Soon enough Link was triumphant and had collected the beast’s guts. 

It was no wonder Master Kohga was obsessed with him, Teru thought with a pang of jealousy.

Link figured the torches needed to be lit and once they were the shrine came forth to the surface and another orb was obtained.

“Should we call it a day or look around a bit?” Link asked.

“Are you actually not tired after all that?” Teru gapped in drained horror.

“Not really. Why are you so tired? You didn’t even fight the Molduga.”

“We’ve been walking for miles through the desert what do you mean why am I tired?!”

“You should train with us more. It’ll really help you build your stamina.”

“Oh, of course, I’m so stupid why didn’t I ever think of that?”

Link was taken aback by the grimacing youth.

“Sorry.”

Teru hung his head low, “Agh, stupid amnesia. Look even if I wanted to train with you guys I can’t.”

Link chose his words carefully, hoping he wouldn’t elicit more animosity, “Is there something preventing you?”

Teru gave a despondent sigh, “I have a bad knee. Two years ago. Mito said if I wanted to keep my ability to walk, I had to give up being a foot-solider.”

Link winced at the newfound realization, “Teru, I’m so sorry I had-”

“I know, I know, it's fine. I shouldn’t have snapped at you in the first place. So stop apologizing.”

Link looked downcast at the ground beneath him, “Do I, I mean does this happen a lot with me?”

“Does what?”

“This. Talking about things without knowing.”

“Without knowing you’re stomping over someone’s metaphorical knee caps?”

Link looked back at Teru with creased eyebrows.

“Sorry, bad joke.” He sighed again, “Sometimes it happens though I can’t speak for everyone on the severity of the insult.”

Link’s face wrinkled with more anguish.

“God damn it Link, I’m sure they know you didn’t mean any harm. It probably wasn’t even that bad.”

“Thanks for telling me.” Link said somberly.

“Uhg, you’re not gonna get all mopey, now are you?”

“I mean it. I really appreciate you being so honest with me. Even if it kinda hurts sometimes.”

“Ok, sure.” He said rolling his eyes.

“Can I ask you something?”

“It’s not like I can stop you.”

“The night of the banquet, why did you call me a ‘pet’?”

Teru came close to choking on his own saliva.

“Did I say something else that was…?”

At that moment Teru spoke with all the affectation he could muster to hide the fact that internally he was screaming, “You really don’t know? I would think it’s _so_ obvious.”

Link’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 

“It’s because you’re always following after Master Kohga like a dotting puppy. It’s really pathetic if I’m being completely honest.”

Link narrowed his eyes defensively, “Excuse me?”

“You wanted the truth, so there.”

Link’s hands balled into fists, “I am not pathetic.”

“You wait on him constantly, and you’re always doing everything he tells you to.”

“He’s our leader I have to listen to him. These past two months I’ve been training with him because I’ve been recovering from a coma. How is any of that ‘dotting’?!”

Teru kept walking, refusing to look back.

“Why are you such an asshole?”

“You’re such a baby. Poor little Link, everyone tiptoe around him because he’s lost his memories.”

Link was about to beat the snot out of Teru, but the words had already done their damage and the pain of them held him back.

Neither one of them spoke another word the rest of the way home. While he walked Link reflected on this and many other turn of events. As loathe he was to admit it, Teru had hit the nail on the head. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he’d been afraid of that very notion for the past months. It was like Mito said, fear held him back. And because of it, he had created a barrier between himself and his clan because of it. He’d run away from the truth and all it did was leave him just as lonely.

Once they came back to the hideout, they split off immediately. Link took a quick bath and returned to his room where he found a note on his bed: _Meet me at my napping spot._ It wasn’t signed but it wasn’t hard to guess who it was from.

The usually empty arena had a couple large cushions laid out on a large red rug. In its center were a spread of various fruits and a tray of meaty croquets. Surrounding the assortment was an array of wide pitted apricot-colored candles. The heated wax filled the room with an ambrosial scent leaving Link pleasantly light-headed.

“Have you been a **good boy**?” a sultry voice cooed behind him.

Link whipped his head around to find Master Kohga standing behind him holding in one hand two mugs and in another an old kettle.

“Master Kohga!” Already Link’s heart was racing despite having expected to meet his master here.

“Go ahead and make yourself comfortable while I make us some tea.” He suggested while walking past Link to set down the ceramic he held in his hands. He began making a small fire where he settled the kettle on and started to boil the water.

Link was about to follow him when he realized something. Teru had been right. He really did do everything Kohga asked of him with hardly any question it seemed.

“Is something the matter?” Kohga looked over at Link curiously.

Link shook his head, “No. It’s nothing.”

He ceased his hesitation and took a seat on one of the large fleecy cushions and grabbed a couple of croquettes. For now, he decided it he was genuinely interested in what Kohga had going on here and wasn’t just blindly following orders. Or so he told himself. Although in all honesty Link could never turn down a plate full of food.

“I asked Golen to make them for me. I knew you’d like them.” Kohga informed as he began to add a handful of dried herbs into an infuser. “I wanted to make up for my breakfast fiasco.”

Link remained silent part of him was still upset with his master, though Kohga didn’t seem to notice.

“I may not be able to cook but I can fix a damn fine cup of tea.” He handed Link a mug of the freshly brewed drink.

Link carefully blew on the piping drink. It had a strong somewhat piney smell. He took a sip; it was slightly bitter but extremely smooth with a slight hint of something floral. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but it was surprisingly delicious, “Wow.”

“Pretty good right?”

“Mmmhmm.” Link smiled shyly.

Kohga poured himself a cup and enjoyed it’s aroma while he watched Link continue to take careful sips.

“Oh, I’d almost forgotten. I brought you something.” Kohga handed over a small pouch.

Link peered into the small bag and saw several blue mushrooms, “Chillshrooms!”

Link’s excited reaction brought a smile to Kohga’s face, “I thought you might need of them. You were running low right?”

Link held onto the bag. He felt a small pang of guilt for still being cross with his master, “Yeah, thank you.”

“We didn’t get to finish talking last time.” Kohga started.

Link gave a small nod while putting the pouch aside, “I was … upset … with you.” Despite having just said those words, Link felt like the thought was already distant from his mind. Master Kohga was always so kind to him. It was obvious how much he cared for him, why was he upset with his master again exactly? It couldn’t have been anything that bad right? It was just a … misunderstanding or something?

“Have you given it some thought?”

Link took another sip of tea. He had given it a lot of thought, the entire trip back from the Toruma Dunes in fact. After his quarrel with Teru, Link thought about the many ways this conversation could go and, in the end, he decided he wouldn’t run away anymore.

“I,” Link had expected to feel more nervous but surprisingly he was able to remain calm, “I don’t just think of you as my leader. I think of you as someone special.”

Kohga listened intently as Link spoke. His eyes shown with a hint of sympathy, “You’re very special to me too Link. That’s why I’d asked you to become my successor.”

Link shook his head, “No, I mean you’re more than that to me. When the sidewinder bit you I thought you were going to die. I was so scared because…” Tears were welling up in his blue eyes, “Because, I … love you.” Link looked down to his hands that were tightly holding onto his mug. He was afraid to see Kohga’s reaction. Would he feel sorry for him? Of if he was indifferent, he couldn’t bear to see it in Kohga’s eyes. His chest tightened, and he knew it’d stay like that until he’d finish saying his piece, “I can’t… I don’t want to lose you. If I did I don’t, I don’t know what’d I do.”

“Oh Link,” Kohga murmured. He leaned closer to Link’s side, wiping the streams that had fallen down his cheeks. He raised Link’s chin to have the tearful boy’s gaze return his. His voice was deep and seductive, “My sweet boy, I’ve been thinking. How can I make it more obvious to you?”

Time seemed to stand still when suddenly Link felt a pair of lips gently meeting his. His mouth caved in surprise and before he knew it Link was melting into the embrace. Was this a dream? This couldn’t be real. How could it? It couldn’t be possible to feel this happy, but he slowly began to accept the idea it could be true. He felt Kohga’s tongue slide over his, prodding and dancing around as if asking for more.

But Link had to push back for air, he lay on the pillows looking dazed at Kohga.

“Do you understand now?” Kohga settled closer to the boy’s face and tangled his fingers into the back of Link’s soft scalp, “I love you too.”

Link’s heart flipped in his chest as he lay there stunned. Kohga pressed in for another kiss, a soft whine escaped from Link’s lips as he did. Kohga then let his other hand drift up to Link’s chest.

“W-wait.” Link broke away from Kohga, his face fully flushed, “We can’t do this.”

“Why not?” Kohga chuckled.

Link’s eyes raced between his master’s hand and his eyes, “B-because, you’re the head of the clan. It wouldn’t be appropriate.”

“According to who?” Kohga played with Link’s blonde locks, immensely amused by Link’s bashfulness.

“To, uh s-society?” He was overjoyed that Master Kohga returned his affection but things were escalating too quickly. Link looked like a rabbit caught in a sling and Kohga like the wolf who was about to eat him up.

“Last I checked I make the rules around here so, I say it's fine.” Kohga slid his hand down to Link’s thigh and caressed it sensually.

Link grabbed Kohga’s hand, preventing it from going any further, “N-no!”

Kohga halted all movement.

Link’s lip trembled slightly, “I mean… I can’t”

Kohga’s eyes studied the boy’s panicked face then nodded calmly, “You’re not ready.”

Link’s brows creased with worry, “Is that, ok?”

“Of course,” the man assured, “We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for.” Kohga reached back for his mug that he’d left to the side and took a large gulp. He set it down and then looked at Link with a sly smirk, “But you at least have to let me kiss you.” He laid back down next to Link and kissed him on his cheek. “And hold you.” He curled his arm around Link’s waist. “Is that ok?”

Link nodded, accepting another kiss from Kohga. He felt a huge wave of relief, thankful for Kohga’s accord. He was able to relax again in his master’s arms, “Tell me about your mission.”

“Well…”

The two-lay next to one another the rest of the night. Talking and sharing more than a few pecks of affection. The time seemed to fly by and at some point, Link fell asleep. Kohga brought over a large fur throw to shield them from the cold and the two slept soundly like a pair of artic doves in their roost. Amidst the sandstone and moonlight, everything seemed to be at peace.

Kohga woke just before dawn. The valley was deathly silent at this hour. No birds or even the chirps of crickets could be heard and both sky and earth remained cloaked in indigo velvet.

Something in Kohga’s body would will him to awaken without fail. It was almost certain he was the only living thing up at this hour. Even so, he dared not move. He remained in their makeshift bed as still as stone, as not to disturb his precious champion. He watched him sleep, as he often did. For Kohga, Link was particularly entertaining to watch while he slept. Whether he slept soundly with his face serene like a percaline doll or agitated like a pup, he relished every moment of it. He never grew tired of his expressions, though he had to admit he hadn’t seen his favorites for some time now, several months ago in truth.

The cold hard slam of stone against Link’s bones as he was dropped onto the floor made his groggy consciousness invert to wary alertness in less than a second. He gritted his teeth in agony. To be honest he’d felt worse forms of pain, but the unexpectedness of the fall made it a tad more unbearable to adjust to the newfound pain coursing through his body.

The first thing he noticed aside from the pain was the fact he was unable to scream. Or rather that he did but no significant sound made it out of his mouth. There was only a muddled huff. Something was in his mouth. A thick wad of cloth secured by what was most likely a leather gag. No matter how hard he pushed his tongue or tried to move his lips he gained no slack. Secondly, he couldn’t see anything. Whatever was obscuring his vision was bound so tightly to his head that when he stubbornly tried to open his eyes they burned from the intrusive touch. Causing him to produce another useless scream.

Only able to rely on his sense of hearing and touch Link slowly began to understand the nature of his circumstances. As the initial pain subsided, he began to notice that he couldn’t move several parts of his body. His legs were bound tightly together, while his arms were tied behind his back. And except for his drawers, he was stripped of all his clothes. The air smelled dank and damp. Wherever he was it must’ve been someplace that didn’t get any sunlight.

“I’m sure you have a lot of questions.” A sardonic voice rang out, startling Link. Of course, there was someone else in the room with him. After all, tied up bodies don’t just drop to the floor by themselves. However, the reason for his fright was because prior to hearing the man’s voice he hadn’t heard anything to tip him off of his presence. Nothing. Not even footsteps. It was as if he’d been captured by a ghost.

“I’d be more than happy to answer a few of them.”

Link struggled in his bonds. The fact he couldn’t tell where the voice would come from next made it all the more unnerving.

“Let’s see, where should I start? Where are you? Who am I? Puh, so boooooring but I can tell you’re just _dying_ to know right?”

Link was suddenly yanked by his hair and he made a muffled sob.

“Are you scared little savage? You should be. You’re in my personal playground and I’m going to enjoy thoroughly toying with you.”

Link recognized the dreadfully rhapsodic voice. It was the masked man he had fought with just before he lost consciousness.

“Why don’t you make yourself more comfortable? Please by all means take a seat.”

Link was shoved back into a corner where he was more or less placed into a sitting position. The force at which he had been flung left him disoriented and doubled over with pain.

“Now that I’ve answered some of your questions it’s only fair for you to answer some of mine.”

A hard blow struck Link in his abdomen. The boy lurched, screaming in unheard agony.

“Don’t worry though they’re simple questions, and I’ll give you all the time you need to answer.”

Link stiffened when he felt a hand brush a lock of hair behind his ear.

“In fact, I encourage you,” Two more strikes were landed on his stomach leaving him convulsing with pain, “To think _long_ and _hard_ on your answers, because if I suspect you’re lying to me,” His fingers traced Link’s torso.

“Well, let’s just say you don’t want to know what’ll happen if I do.”

The pummeling stopped for a moment and then Link heard the sound of metal scrapping stone from a distance gradually growing louder.

“Now let’s see if you were paying attention.”

Link’s gag was removed abruptly.

“What color is grass?”

Link hesitated to answer. If this was the same asshole who he had just met at the bridge he should be trying to fight him. But for some reason he couldn’t. He was scared of what the man might do to him with no way of defending himself.

“G-green.” He stuttered.

“Good. Very good little savage. You understand how this works. Alright, next question. Who are you?”

Link gritted his teeth. He wasn’t sure how to answer that question, however, he suspected hesitating too long might just as well garner unpleasant results.

“L-link” he whimpered.

“Link who?” the voice was low and threatening.

“I-I don’t know.” Link sobbed meekly.

He felt cold metal cinch a small portion of the skin and twisting it severely. Link’s scream filled the room. Now that he could hear himself the pain seemed much more intense than before.

“Let’s try again. You must know who you are, or do you take me for a fool?”

“N-no, I swear. I only know w-what the old man told me, but I don’t know if it’s true.”

“What old man?” he growled.

“I don’t know.”

The man clicked his tongue in disapproving effect, “You stated out so well my sweet boy, buy you’ve forced me to take more drastic measures.”

Link heard something metal be set down on the floor next to him, followed by the _thwip_ of like a weapon being unsheathed.

“Oh, how silly of me. You’ll want to see this.”

Without delay, Link’s vision had been restored. His suspicions had been confirmed. The same masked man was there holding a small thin blade. The room appeared to be a dungeon unsurprisingly. The cell was scarcely lit by only two small torches of blue flame. Further behind the masked man there seemed to be a table and further yet tucked in the darkness Link could just make out the glint of several metal tools hung on the wall. No doubt they were all torture devices that Link wanted to avoid becoming familiar with.

If he could only loosen his bonds on his arms maybe he could fight back but all thoughts of escape ceased when he felt his stomach being sliced open. The blade was rather dull, so it made tearing his skin all the more agonizing. Link responded by trying to move his body away from the affliction, but the man’s powerful hand kept him in place.

“Here’s the deal. You have to tell me the whole truth if you want this little game of ours to end sooner. No holding out on me, alright?” As he spoke, he deliberately dug his fingers into the fresh wound, stirring the tender bleeding flesh as though it were a delectable dish. The boy screamed, louder and longer than before, straining his vocal cords. The man ceased his cruelty just as tears rolled from Link’s eyes. Though there was no way of telling Link swore he could feel the vicious smile behind the man’s mask.

Link mustered one more scream of contempt, “I’ll… fucking kill you!”

Threatening the man who currently had him restrained was certainly not the wisest use of his words, but Link had lost his composure long ago. Alas, his threat was only met with a sinister laugh, as though he had been looking forward to Link’s obstinance. Before Link could get his labored breathing under control he was grabbed by his scalp and dragged across the room towards the table. He wailed pitifully in-between throwing more curses at his captor.

Link was tossed onto the wooden table and to his surprise, his arms and wrists were set free. Summoning what strength he had left he attempted to take a swing at his aggressor, only to be easily blocked and have his diaphragm crushed by the other’s fist. Link couldn’t breathe, he tried inhaling, but it was as if he was being suffocated. It made it easy for his assailant to forcibly recline him to the table and secure each of his arms to the sides of the table with thick leather belts. Several more belts were used to fasten his head, shoulders, and ankles to the platform, rendering him practically immobile. Only his toes and fingers remained free which he doubted he could get much use out of.

“Now then, it would be such a shame to cut this beautiful body of yours into ribbons.” He said coyly putting away his knife.

“I have just the thing for pretty toys like you.”

He walked back to where Link had just been moments ago and returned with what he could now see was a pair of pliers. He placed them at the foot of the table next to Link’s ankles, then walked over to his arsenal of tools and picked out a small mallet.

“Are we ready to try again?”

“Fuck you!”

Link still didn’t know what this man wanted nor did he have a real reason to withhold the information he was asking for. However, he’d stubbornly refuse to give it up, even if it wasn’t the retaliation he’d hope to give.

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

In one swift move, he planted Link’s foot against the table and smashed his right toe. Turning Link once again into a vile fountain of screams. Using the pliers he secured a grip on Link’s damaged nail, “Who was this old man you spoke with?”

“I don’t know.” The boy wailed.

Link felt his nail slowly being tugged away. Every miniscule tug was more horrible than anything he’d ever experienced.

“Please stop!” Link begged.

Part of Link wished his nail would just get torn off just for the pain to come to an end, but it didn’t. It kept worsening very second and each moment felt like it was draining years of his life. He dug his nails into the board beneath him, he couldn’t stand it anymore.

“H-he said h-his name was King Bospho-something!”

The pulling came to a stop, “Oh? That almost sounds plausible for the hero of Hyrule. That is if it weren’t for the fact that the King’s been dead for several years.”

Link saw the man retake his tool ready to yank off his nail.

“No, n-no! I swear it’s true! He was a ghost, but he spoke to me! He told me who I was.”

“And you would believe him just like that? With no way of confirming what he said was true?”

Link averted his eyes, “Y-yes.”

His captor shook his head, “You are a _very_ bad liar. Haven’t you realized who you’re dealing with?”

Link closed his eyes and dug his nails into the table, bracing for punishment… but it didn’t come. Instead, he felt something odd but pleasant. Followed by a hand tracing the contours of his chest with gloved fingers.

“I bet a boy like you hasn’t had the chance to experience many of the delights of this world hmm?” The man said shifting the tone of voice to a seductive timbre.

Link looked down to see the man’s other hand stroking his clothed pelvis and he became wracked with shame from the arousal that was beginning to overcoming him.

“It’s so easy to overwhelm the body with nothing but pain. Give it too much of the same thing over and over again, and it becomes dull. That’s why it’s better to mix things up a little.”

Link didn’t think it’d be possible but in little time the new stimulus became undeniable. The strokes gradually became slower, expertly teasing him to madness, to the point he couldn’t help but let out a soft moan.

“S-stop, please. D-don’t.” Link whimpered desperately. He was so confused. He was feeling pleasure but somehow, he felt worse than when he was being tortured.

“That’s a good face.” He caressed the boy’s face his eyes were already glazed over with pleasure.

He chuckled utterly bemused, “Have you already forgotten how it feels to be without pain that you’ve fallen to lust so easily?”

The boy whined as if to protest, but no coherent words came out.

“If you want to keep feeling this good, you’ll tell me, won’t you?” He gave Link a few sudden fast strokes sending him over the moon, evident by the sound of his moaning.

“What is it you’re trying to hide?”

Every stroke made Link huff with euphoria. It was hard for him to concentrate but something in his gut told him it would be grave to mention the voice he’d heard in his head. He had to lie he wasn’t sure why but perhaps his life deepened on it.

“H-he showed me a-a statue.”

“A statue?”

Link tried nodding through his restraints, “Y-yes it had an engraving on it.”

“With your name?”

“Yes.”

“Like a tomb?”

“Y-yes.” Link’s eyes rolled back, the arousal flooding his mind.

Kohga laughed, “Now why would the King show you a grave for someone who never died?”

“B-because people thought I did?”

He laughed again, “People like who?”

“People like…”

In an instant, the feelings of pleasure were replaced with excruciating agony. It was sharp and growing with intensity as his nail was yanked at a harrowing rate. Link was no more than an animal screeching till his throat was sore and he couldn’t scream anymore.

“Do you really want to keep this up? I don’t mind but I think you’ve reached your limit.”

Sweat and tears drenched Link’s face. The man was right. He couldn’t hold out any longer. What point was there to suffering more at the hands of this madman?

“Tell me everything.”

In a hoarse voice Link whimpered, “A voice… spoke to me when I w-woke up.”

“Go on.”

“She said, sh-she said I need to stop the beast from destroying Hyrule.”

“Do you know the identity of this voice?”

“I-I’m not sure, they sounded familiar but I… I don’t know. I can’t remember… B-but the King said it was his daughter.”

“Princess Zelda.”

“Yes, that’s what he said.”

“And you don’t know anything else?” He pointed the bloody pliers towards Link’s face.

“I don’t r-remember anything. All I know is h-he said that… her power was fading and th-that I needed to hurry… that I need to meet someone named Impa.”

Link’s tears were wiped by the man’s hand, “Good boy, see that wasn’t so hard.”

Link wept. He’d given this man everything he wanted.

Everything.

However, he suspected this was far from over.

The man caressed the boy’s face once more, savoring how the boy flinched at his touch. He left the room without another word. Borhan was standing guard outside the cell, he turned to Master Kohga as soon as the door had been closed.

“Shall I begin preparations for his disposal sir?”

Kohga leaned against the wall ruminating in silence.

“No. I’m not done with him.”

“If I may sir, I think it would be wise to get rid of the boy now rather than indulge in whatever it is you’re planning.”

Kohga smirked, “Borhan, you heard how easily he broke.” He turned towards the cell door and rested his hand on it. He sighed, “If he knew who he was he would’ve been determined to hold out much longer, perhaps even for a few days.” His hand curled into a fist, “That is the champion that I want, and I will not be denied. I’ve waited too long for this.”

Borhan sighed he knew there was no changing Kohga’s mind now, “Very well then. Your orders?”

Kohga stared at the door, silently weighing his options.

“Prepare the White Room.”

Borhan exhaled once more in displeasure, “It shall be done.”

Kohga returned to the room to clean and bandage the boy’s toe. Once he was done, he prepared a syringe with a clear fluid.

“What are you going to do to me?” The boy’s face contorted with worry.

“Many things, but don’t worry this won’t hurt.”

Link winced from the sharp needle being poked into his arm.

“As much.”

Kohga began to undo the restraints, starting with his legs and ending with his wrists. Now free from his bonds Link made one last attempt to strike his captor. But to his dismay his arm swung slow and low, completely missing its target.

“You should save that energy for later. You’re going to need it.” He chuckled while hoisting Link from the table.

Link realized he was rapidly losing sensation in his limbs and it was becoming difficult to keep his eyes open.

“What did… you do to me?”

“Shhhhh. You’re going to take a nice long nap. Enjoy it. It’ll be a while until your next one.” Kohga carried Link in his arms out of the room and down a dark hallway.

“Please… let me g-” Link’s efforts to fight the drug’s effects were valiant but in vain.

If it weren’t for the dried tears and sweat on the boy’s face, he’d almost look peacefully adrift. Those screams and tears, oh how Kohga had missed them.

Link’s eyes fluttered open as the cool morning breeze stirred him awake.

“Good morning.” Kohga hummed into Link’s ear.

Link gasped in response to Kohga nuzzling his neck.

“Did you sleep well?” he murmured in Link’s ear.

“Mmmhmm.” Was all the boy could manage as his master pulled him closer into his embrace.

“Shall we stay in bed today?” Kohga said while pressing his groin into Link’s behind.

“We can’t, someone will see us.” The boy blushed.

“Then let them see.”

Kohga’s words sent a shiver down Link’s spine and he cursed himself for getting hard so soon.

“We should go before today’s training group arrives.” Link squirmed out of Kohga’s grasp hurriedly and made his way to exit the arena.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Link had just made it halfway across the area when he came to a stop. Kohga brought Link the bag of Chillshrooms he was leaving behind. Link half turned to receive the bag but Kohga didn’t let go and instead pulled the unsuspecting Hylian into a deep kiss. Link’s cock rubbed up against Kohga’s thigh and he moaned helplessly from the accidental titillation.

“Morning wood?” Kohga chuckled.

“Yeah.” Link admitted through abundant blushing.

“Want me to help you with that?”

“I can take care of it.” Link said while tugging the bag out of Kohga’s hand.

“No need to be embarrassed, it happens to all of us.”

Only now Link noticed Master Kohga’s erect cock, the sight of which made him sweat.

“W-we really should hurry.”

Link ran out as quickly as he could, his heart racing with the thought of what might have happened had he accepted his master’s salacious proposal.

He stealthily made his way to the baths and took a cold shower after which he readied himself for training; donning his scarlet Yiga armor. Thankfully Master Kohga was not leading this day’s training session. Link was able to put all his energy and focus on his combat practice. Exercising his muscles to their limit helped clear his head which he sorely needed. It seemed when he was around his Master, he’d too often become enthralled by his charm. Forgetting what to say or just not knowing how to put his words together. This must be what is referred to as being “lovesick” he thought. It was quite annoying considering he needed to have a serious talk with Kohga about setting some boundaries.

Link first looked for Master Kohga in his room, but he wasn’t there, so he went to the dining hall. There had to be someone who knew of his whereabouts. He saw Ridah and Endai eating rice and curry together. Before he could approach their table a pair of arms grabbed him from behind and hugged him possessively.

“I heard you did an excellent job with your training today.” Kohga uttered sweetly into Link’s ear.

Link jumped in his skin, if it weren’t for Kohga’s hold he would’ve lept several feet off the ground.

“M-master, don’t sneak up on me like that.”

“How should I sneak up on you then?” He teased.

“I mean don’t sneak up on me at all!”

“But is it true what Jinsai told me, though?”

“Yes, I finished first on every regiment today.”

“That’s my **good boy**.” Kohga turned Link’s head to the side to kiss him. Consequently, Link felt a tingling in his chest and the hairs on his neck stood on their ends.

“Not in front of everyone.” The boy bemoaned as he tried to break free from Kohga’s embrace.

“I can’t help it, you’re so cute when you’re embarrassed.”

A high-pitched shriek echoed throughout the hall directing Link and Kohga’s attention towards the origin of the shrill sound. It was none other than Ridah who now approached them like a bolt of lightning.

“Oh my gosh! It’s official! You two are _so_ together now! So? Who confessed first?” Her eyes were wide with glee. It made Link wish his master wasn’t so forthright with his affection in front of others.

“Link did.” Kohga answered her smugly.

She turned around and pointed to Endai in a dramatic fashion, “Ha! In your face Endai! Pay up!” She scurried over to the table where he sat and held out her open palm to him. Endai groaned and handed her twenty rupees after which she giddily stuffed them in her pocket.

Link was exasperated by what had just happened, he made his way to the table and Kohga followed.

“Uhg, Link why’d you let me down man?” Endai sighed as a result of the wound on his pride.

“Why were you betting in the first place?” Link scorned.

“Duh! Because it was super obvious you have a crush on Master Kohga, so we thought it would be fun to see if we could guess who’d spill their guts first. Of course, I knew it’d be you, Link.” Ridah explained presumptuously.

Link held back expressing how uncomfortable he felt from Ridah enjoying using his love life as a spectacle.

Endai scratched his forehead, “I honestly expected you to hold out longer, guess I overestimated you, man.”

“When it comes to matters of the heart you’re still just an amateur. It doesn’t take a genius to see that with a crush that big Link never stood a chance against the wiles of-”

“Alright don’t you think you’ve embarrassed him enough you two?” Kohga interjected.

Link had about enough of those two he turned around to face Kohga, remembering why he’d been looking for him in the first place, “Hey, could I speak to you, in private?”

“Oooooooooo!” Ridah crooned. Endai jabbed her side to cease her juvenile mockery.

“Of course, let’s go to my office.”

Kohga sat on his bed looking up at Link who seemed a bit nervous, “So? What’s got my precious cucco all wound up?”

Link took a deep breath before he spoke, “I want to set some ground rules.”

“Oh? On what?” He held out his hand to Link. Without thinking Link took it and Kohga pulled him onto his lap.

“I uh,” Link avoided his master’s eyes, afraid he’d lose his nerve. Why did he feel so nervous in the first place? Kohga’s thumb gently stroking his side brought him back to the present. “No sex in public!” He blurted out.

“Hmm?” Kohga crooked his eyebrows at him. “We haven’t even had sex and you’ve already decided you want to set restrictions?”

Link felt his cheeks redden, was he getting ahead of himself? “I just thought because this morning you wanted to-”

“Oh, I was just teasing you, Link. You already told me last night you weren’t ready. Did you think I’d forget already?” Kohga’s hands continued massaging Link as they slowly made their way to his back.

“No, sorry I thought-”

“You thought, ‘Master Kohga can’t keep his hands off me because I’m so cute and sexy’ right?” He took the chance to kissed Link’s neck while the boy had his head turned away.

“N-no, I didn’t think that.”

“Really? You think I don’t notice the way you look at me? With those beautiful blue eyes just begging me to take you.”

“I-I don’t do that.” He meekly insisted.

“If that were true, you’d be able to look at me right now. But you can’t can you?”

Link thought he could prove Kohga wrong but as soon as he locked eyes with him, Link became worried that perhaps his master was right. Kohga rolled Link onto the bed and laid kiss after kiss onto him. Link moaned softly. He brought his hands to Kohga’s chest and pulled on his suit to bring him closer to him. Kohga resisted Link’s pull and gazed upon the boy’s lust-filled eyes.

“You’re so beautiful.”

Link felt his heart swoon, he sat back up to kiss Kohga. Kohga embraced him and laid him back onto the bed. The two were ravenous until they heard a knock on the door. Kohga got up and waited till Link had recomposed himself before inviting their visitor.

“Master Kohga? We’re ready to go is there anything else you needed before we-” Jinsai paused once he saw Link readjusting his hair. “Oh gosh, I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to intrude.” The young man blushed, clearly having heard the news of the new couple.

“No, no, we were just talking.” Kohga assured him.

Jinsai laughed awkwardly, “Well if you’re all done then maybe we could tell the others you’re ready to go?”

“Right, give us ten minutes and we’ll meet you at the entrance.”

“Sure thing boss.” Jinsai was eager to leave the room.

Kohga looked back towards Link who had gotten up from the bed, “There’s something I forgot to mention earlier.”

“What is it?”

“I thought you might like to join us we’re going to Lake Floria.”

“Oh! Um yeah, I would. It’ll be a good chance to find some shrines.”

“I thought as much. Do you need to grab anything before we go?”

“Yeah, I’ll be quick.”

“Ok, I’ll wait for you with the others.” Kohga gave Link a peck on the cheek and then left.

Link quickly ran to his room to fetch his slate, his paraglider and a change of clothes. He made a quick stop at the kitchen pantry for some extra ingredients as well. Lucky for him the Sheikah slate had an abundant capacity for storage. The prospect of going somewhere new was exciting enough but the fact he’d be there with Master Kohga made his chest flutter with matchless exhilaration. He arrived at the entrance in less than ten minutes where he found Master Kohga, Jinsai, Ridah, Endai and Teru waiting for him. The group set off for the misty palms of Lake Floria.


	5. Storms in East Necluda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Master Kohga and the rest of their fellow Yiga embark on a routine mission to Lake Floria. Fraught with delights and tribulations alike
> 
> * Chapter 2 received a small but important change to the banquet scene. Those of you following me since the beginning might want to check that out :D

From the moment Link saw the Bridge of Hylia he knew this mission was going to be nothing short of wide eyes and frequent gasps. The bridge although dilapidated still held its sense of grandeur. He wasn’t sure if it was just because it was his first time seeing something like it but everything about the monumental structure seemed beautiful to him even in its crumbling state. And that was just the bridge, the rest of Hyrule still had much awe and splendor to offer his curious eyes. As they sped across the bridge on their horses, Link saw the lake in all its vastness and the mountains that surrounded it beyond. Hyrule seemed endless and the thought of reaching such places excited him.

Faron woods filled Link with a sense of serenity unlike anything he’d experienced in the Gerudo desert. The crisp smell of the trees, the rich sent of damp soil, the gentle breeze blowing his hair and the dapples of sunlight that shined through the canopy of dazzling green leaves. The whole forest exhilarated him in every sense of the word. Though he couldn’t be sure as to why. Perhaps it was just the thrill of being somewhere so different. Unlike his sandy home, the woods felt so comforting, almost familiar, but that couldn’t be. He’d never been here before after all.

As he and the others rode through the forest Link’s Sheikah sensor went off again. It had done so already a couple times but at time they were speeding past some moblins and the ringing had stopped after a few short gallops. What’s more getting to Lake Floria was their top priority. But that incident had made Link realize that there was a good chance that were plenty of shrines out in Hyrule that remained to be discovered. But until they reached the lake Link decided he’d turn off the sensor as it was starting to grate on his ears. Though just as he did, he noticed a familiar orange glow ahead on the trail obscured by the flora of the woods. In less than a minute a shrine’s presence was in plain view, just on the side of the trail. Link reined in his mare and dismounted immediately.

“Would you guys mind?”

The other Yiga came to a halt.

“Well it is right there.” Endai said following Link’s lead. With everyone seeming to be in accord Link walked up to the shrine and opened it. And though it was a bit of a tight squeeze the six of them went down into the shrine together.

There interior of this shrine was far simpler than what Link had come to expect by this point. An open gateway and just beyond it was what seemed like a spacious room with some stone pillars. Jinsai was understandably very wary of his new surroundings. Endai only seemed slightly intrigued and Ridah was rambunctious as always. Link went on ahead letting the others take in the interior of the shrine at their own pace. However not long after he passed through the gate it locked behind him. Though he figured it was part of the test, being suddenly separated from the group put Link on edge. There was no time to dwell on this though, soon after the floor just a few meters ahead of him opened up and brought in a menacing looking guardian wielding a sword and shield of its own prompting Link to do the same.

Jinsai gave the gate a hefty budge but it held strong.

“Don’t think we’ll be able to pry it open.” Endai heeded.

“Kick it’s ass, Link!” Ridah cheered from the sideline.

“Link be careful!” Jinsai cried out though biting his nails.

“Don’t worry Jin. He can hold his own.” Kohga gave the young man a reassuring pat on his back.

The guardian scout with it’s gourd like shaped body and it’s tentacle like legs speedily approached Link. Apprehensive of his foe Link kept his distance but the mechanical menace perused and shot a volley of short burst lasers at his feet. He could already tell this wasn’t going to be like his encounter with the smaller one he encountered in a previous shrine. The guardian took a swing, and Link kept his shield up testing the scout’s strength. Though his shield seemed of inferior make to the latter’s glowing razor-sharp blade, it took the hit with stride. It was a small relief but at least it meant he could keep within close range. The guardian moved its mechanical arms to take another swing at Link. It wasn’t difficult to dodge its automated strikes, but it seemed Link’s attacks barely laid a scratch. The guardian went for a third strike and this time Link tried to parry but alas his timing was off, and he took a hard hit. Link shrugged it off with help from a meat skewer.

As he regained his bearings the guardian leapt back. It straightened it’s mechanical arms out like a rigid tree. Link wasn’t sure what to make of this until it began spinning towards him with frightening speed. He was nowhere near being fast enough to outrun it and his opponent’s slash threw him off his feet. His civilian clothes did little to protect him from the thrashing leaving him with more fresh wounds.

“Don’t just take its hits like a dumb-ass, use your surroundings!” Teru scorned.

Link scrambled back up. The guardian had bounced back again winding up another attack. He looked to the pillars, his only option for cover. Without waiting to see if the guardian followed, Link sprinted to the nearest pillar and took cover. The guardian was hot on his tail but slammed right into the stone. It hit with such force that the short pillar crumbled to pieces and the guardian buzzed and convulsed momentarily stunned as it's circuits had gotten all battered by the collision. Link took his chance to land a significant barrage of strikes before the machine readjusted itself to attack again. It returned to its standard swinging slashes. Once more he tried parrying the strike but was too apprehensive and botched up his counter. He took another helping of meat to push through the fight.

Jinsai looked over to the other Yiga with much concern, “Does he always eat when he fights?”

“Only when he’s losing.” Replied Teru.

“Mmhmm.” Endai and Ridah echoed in sync.

The guardian began to fall into a pattern of the same attacks throughout which Link suffered a few more blows and lost a few more pillars but he managed to get in a few more hits. Just as he thought he had found success in whittling down the mechanical fiend, it leapt back again and began to spin its head around while it’s eye shot a laser beam towards the ground effectively keeping the Hylian at bay. The heat of the laser quickly made the floor hot and created an updraft. Remembering his paraglider Link took it out and sure enough floated above his adversary’s line of fire. He flew in close until he was right above the guardian’s head and then slammed down on top of it with his sword. The impact disrupting the guardian’s special attack and giving Link the upper hand for once. However got greedy with his attacks and missed his moment to defend himself against a thrust from the machine. It sent him back down onto his knees and before Link could recover it began to whirl its laser again, sending Link like a skipping stone across the arena. As he scarfed down another skewer Link began to consider he might run out of food before he could end the fight. He needed to pay more attention to the timing of the guardian’s attacks not just the pattern otherwise he was going to end up in serious trouble.

Link wiped the small trickle of blood from his scraped chin as he got up again. It was time to get serious. The guardian wound up again for another spinning assault. Link without hesitating booked it to the nearest pillar and began to charge up his own spin attack. Just as the guardian struck against the stone Link stepped forward to deliver his own powerful attack.

“Yeah! Show him who’s boss!” Ridah shouted. “B-but don’t get cocky!” Jinsai warned.

In the back of the crowd Teru watched as Master Kohga stood silently with his arms crossed, while a slight grin began to extend across his face.

Link focused on his target; he took in a deep breath as he waited for the guardian to attack him with its sword. He stayed calm and at the last second, he deflected the strike with his shield.

“Hyaaaaaaaaah!”

Link released another powerful slash onto the stupefied robot. When it jumped back again, he readied his bow. It was going to spin its laser again. Keeping his distance this time he sent several rounds of arrows to chip away at its health. Then the spinning stopped but it didn’t approach him like the boy was anticipating. The part of it that seemed like it’s head sunk down into its body and began to glow a bright blue. It began beeping, the pitch and frequency of the noise growing higher and faster as the seconds ticked by. The energy around it seemed to flow and condense into the center of its eye. This was something else, something powerful. He’d have to finish it before it could finish him. Link swung his blade, slicing and trashing as fast and as hard as he could but it still kept charging.

“Link run!” Master Kohga’s voice boomed across the arena.

Link didn’t think twice as he ran towards one of the few remaining pillars. “Keep running!” Kohga commanded.

Even though Link wanted to stay behind the pillar his trust in Kohga propelled him forward. And when he heard the guardian fire behind him, he didn’t need to look back to know that Kohga had just saved his life. He heard as the pillar was turned to ruble behind him and another shot was fired. He kept running, pushing himself until his breath was depleted and his body gave him no other choice but to slow down by which then he’d avoided two more beams and there were no more pillars left in the room. For a moment Link thought he would meet his end as he dragged his feet forward but to his great relief the guardian had finally ceased fire. Unfortunately, he knew this because he heard it charging up again for another round. He wouldn’t be able to out run it again if he tried to get in a few hits. He was still catching his breath. There wasn’t enough time. What’s more there was nowhere left to run.

Link stared directly towards the glowing eye of the guardian bracing for eminent impact. He held up his shield, slowed his breathing, focusing intensely on the guardian’s dire intonation. He only had one chance to get this right. Link held his breath, trusting his intuition to find the right moment. The second he saw the flash of blue light he thrust his shield and precisely deflected the beam right back at the guardian. Overwhelmed by its own power the robot reverberated electricity throughout its body and imploded. A few screws and gears remained like a mechanical carcass. Link collected them as well as the guardian’s sword and shield and took them as his reward for the hard-fought battle. The gate sprung open once more and the others ran to him radiating excitement and relief.

“You were amazing!” Ridah slapped Link on his back.

“I thought you were dead for a second there, way to pull that hat trick there bud.” Endai said thoroughly impressed.

“Yeah well, don’t let this win go to your head. You barely survived that.” Teru chided.

“Right. I’ll do better next time.” Link said.

“Link! I’m so glad you made it out of that in once piece!” Jinsai still seemed like his heart was caught in his throat. “Please tell me you won’t have to do something like that again.”

“Uh, I don’t think I can promise that.” Link felt a tad embarrassed from all the admiration and worry he found himself surrounded by.

“That’s my **good boy**.” Kohga beamed.

Link felt a warm wave ripple throughout his body at hearing his master’s praise. He decided that as his cue to go and retrieve the spirit orb from the waiting monk before the others noticed him blushing.

Dusk began to settle in after they got out of the shrine. Seeing as they still had quite a way’s to go before, they reached the lake, Master Kohga gave the order to set up camp for the night. They split into groups of twos putting up tarps and setting up campfires. What they had in terms of camping gear was minimal but just enough to keep them dry if by chance it rained. While Kohga set up their tarp near the roots of a large tree, Link started a small fire which he used to bake some apples. He nestled himself against Kohga’s chest as he enjoyed his snack.

“Hmm, could use some honey.” Kohga remarked as he munched.

“If you don’t like it, I’ll take it off your hands.” Link tossed his apple core into the fire then reached for Kohga’s half-finished apple.

The larger man held his fruit out of reach, “I didn’t say I didn’t like it. I just miss the taste of something sweet.”

“Sweet? I bet you already have something in mind.” Link said while poking Kohga’s ribs playfully.

“Perhaps.” Kohga said while eating the rest of his apple.

“I know you do.” Link playfully tapped Kohga’s lips with his finger.

“Oh my, so you can see right through me?”

“Mmhmm.” Link leaned in close before suddenly darting away to retrieve something from the slate. “That’s why I thought you might like these.”

Link showed off a couple of pink wild berries in the palm of his hand. Kohga reached out to try one, but Link withdrew his hand before he could grab one.

“I thought you were going to let me have one.” Kohga was intrigued by Link’s coquettishness.

“I will but, you have to ask nicely first.”

Link’s flirtation came off as shy and awkward rather than seductive; which Kohga found irresistibly adorable.

“May I try one, please?” Kohga said with a sweet voice.

“You may.” Link giggled before putting the berry in his mouth.

Kohga leaned forward towards Link’s face and delicately took the berry from the boy’s lips with his own. Link held onto the berry, daring his master with his eyes to take a taste of more than just the small fruit. But before Kohga could decide Link let go. Kohga chewed slowly, savoring the taste while never breaking eye contact with Link.

“Satisfied?” Link grinned mischievously.

Kohga smirked. He grabbed onto Link’s hip and carefully pinned him to the ground, “I could never be satisfied,” He took a few nips at the boy’s neck, “Especially when you’re such a tease.”

“You teased me first.” Link objected.

“Oh that’s right, and you liked that didn’t you?” Kohga sucked on Link’s collar bone causing the other to groan.

“Ehm!” Jinsai gave them a wary but stern look from his and Teru’s campfire.

“Sorry” Link whispered taking the hint.

Link turned away from Kohga and laid his head to rest on his bag which he used as a makeshift pillow. Kohga settled himself behind Link.

“You were quite amazing today.” Kohga whispered while he pulled a large blanket over himself and Link.

“You really think so? I was taking a beating for most of the fight.”

“You turned it around. It takes real skill to turn your opponent’s strength into their weakness.” Kohga said while he caressed Link’s waist. “I’ve known how strong you are but watching you today showed me just how much power this small body of yours can handle.” Link blushed picking up the obvious innuendo, “How am I supposed to get some sleep if you keep talking?” Link pretended to sound annoyed.

“Oh, it’s quite easy actually.” Kohga leaned closer to the boy’s ear, “Just focus on something else like the fire and my voice will just fade into the background. My rambling will just sink to the back of your mind,” He intoned seductively.

Master Kohga’s suggestion drew Link’s eyes to the campfire. The calm steady flicker of its flames was fanciful and beautiful to look at.

“And you’ll just, gradually start to feel more relaxed. Just focus on the flames, how they dance and how the embers sparkle. It’s so pleasant to watch isn’t it?”

They were quite graceful Link thought.

Kohga’s voice slipped like silk into Link’s ears, “Isn’t it funny how we never notice how beautiful something is until we really look and focus on it. But even as lovely as they are, the flames are quite bright. Its glow is a bit hard on your eyes. You almost have to squint, don’t you?”

After staring so intently on the fire Link found himself squinting to let less of the light into his eyes.

“You don’t even have to keep your eyes open to see its light, you could just close them, and you’d still see its orange glow.”

Kohga surreptitiously traced a circle on Link’s arm with his finger over and over again. Link’s eyes began to grow with a feeling of heaviness as he continued to stare at the fire.

“And even now, you just follow my voice without thinking. It’s so easy to listen without even thinking about it. You’re so good at listening to my voice. You’re so good at obeying. And it feels so good when you do. It would be so much easier to listen if you just, closed your eyes.”

Link’s eyelids were now weighty and blinking at an unsteady rhythm, struggling more and more to stay open every time.

“It’s alright, you can just close them, sink into that feeling of giving in. It’s quite alright, you’ll enjoy it.”

Link closed his eyes and his mind sank into the darkness.

“Because it just feels so good. Because you’re listening because you’re obeying. It always feels so good to obey. To me, to my voice. You love to obey. And every time I say the word ‘obey’ you feel yourself become more and more submissive every time.”

Link let out a longing sigh.

“You can feel it, don’t you? Deep, deep within your mind and body, that wonderful sensation when you **obey**. You love being so obedient to me.” Kohga draped his hand onto Link’s ass and continued to twirl his finger in a slow circular motion. “When you **obey** you feel so content, when you **obey** you feel so safe, when you **obey** you feel so much _pleasure._ ”

Reeling from the intoxicating sensation of Kohga’s words as they became manifest, forced several needy gasps from Link’s mouth.

Kohga pressed himself closer and whispered even more quietly into Link’s ear, “And you’ll remember these commands in the future. While you’re in trance, just as you are now, your body will automatically return to this aroused state every time I say the word ‘ **obey** ’. Pleasure intensifying with every time I repeat it.”

Kohga paused for a moment chuckling to himself with satisfaction, then leaned back. “But for now, you’re just going to let your mind drift back to just being so full of sleepy relaxation and those other good feelings, they just sink into the back of your mind. You don’t need them right now. You’re so overcome with a wave of pure drowsiness.”

Link felt his body grow heavy and his mind grew foggy. The arousal gradually ebbing away from his body and left it lying dormant deep within.

“Now when I stop speaking, you’ll fall into a deep and restful sleep. You’ll wake up on your own once your body is fully rested. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?”

Link responded with a dull sigh.

“That’s right, you’re so empty now Link. Your mind is empty and ready to sleep. Let your mind give into blissful sleep. And, if you love how I made you feel, you’ll tell me later won’t you?”

Kohga pulled Link over so that he laid on his back. Then gave the dozing boy a chaste kiss and turned in for the night.

When Link awoke at dawn his face was greeted by the small droplets of an approaching shower. While the others stayed in the cover of their tarps, Link decided he’d take the time to forage the forest. As the rain came overhead Link felt invigorated by the moisture seeping into his skin. The drizzle became more of a bonus than a deterrent while he went about gathering every mushroom and cricket, he came across. In addition to procuring more of nature’s riches, Link also came across a couple of koroks. One hidden within the stump of a tree and another he found by following a suspicious disappearing flower. He had hardly noticed the passage of time until the rain began to come to a stop and the voices of his comrades pulled him out of his element.

“Come on Link, there’ll be plenty of stuff to find once we get to the lake!” Ridah hollered.

“Coming!” Link reluctantly tore himself away from the underbrush to rejoin the group.

Master Kohga took notice of Link’s cheery energy, “Looks like you made a good find?”

Link nodded shyly. Kohga chuckled, cocksure of what had the boy so tight-lipped.

The group knew they were close to their destination when they passed a small wooden bridge and were hit by the humidity and mist of the tropical forest. Link tugged at the ragged collar of his shirt but was unable to get any reprieve from the excessive moisture. Unlike the rain from this morning, the mist brought with it a sticky warmth that was less than favorable. Still, it was to be expected of the region, so Link tried to bear it focusing on the sights of the jungle.

The palm trees with their massive fronds created a dense canopy between him and the sky. Moreover, as they continued on the trail a river found its way alongside them. It was wide enough that it created a gorge between them and on the other side of the rainforest from which Link spotted a Sheikah tower not too far off. He’d be sure to take some time to reach its summit at some point he thought. Filling out the slate’s mapping function would surely be of great use in find more shrines in the area. The sound of the rushing water from the river soon grew louder the further they ventured. A definite sign that they were close now. Then after a few minutes later they saw it, the familiar wooden effigy of a horse head that made the roof of every stable.

“Alright everyone board your horses. I’ll reserve our beds.” Kohga handed over the reins of his horse to Jinsai and then walked over towards the stable's reception.

While they waited for Master Kohga, Endai and Ridah explained to Link the details of their mission.

“We’ll start by making our way up this mountain then work our way down collecting every mighty banana that’s ripe for the picking.” Endai said pointing to the huge cliffside that shrouded the stable in shadow.

“It usually takes us a whole day just to clear this side of the lake.” Ridah added.

“Really? A whole day? Why?” Link asked while looking up at their new starting point.

“Cuz of the rain.” Endai sighed.

“You’ll see. It can start pouring in seconds, at any moment, and last for an hour or more!” Ridah illustrated her point with big dramatic hand gestures.

“It’s also just because some people are really picky about which bananas they choose to harvest.” Jinsai interjected while giving Endai a damning look.

“Hey man, you can’t treat banana picking like any other kind of fruit harvest. It takes a delicate hand to know when and how to pick the right bunch without disrupting the flow of the ecosystem!” Endai defended passionately.

“Then you better get going before the rain decides to extend your delicate process.” Teru rolled his eyes.

“You’re not coming with us?” Link asked surprised to see Teru walk in the opposite direction.

“Cliffsides, not my speed.” Teru replied while dusting off his knees.

“Oh, right.” Link combed his hair back, regretful of his inquiry.

“Anyway, I don’t care much for banana picking so I’ll be getting a head start on the shrine hunt.”

“Oh! I could let you borrow the slate.” Link offered the stone tablet to Teru.

“No thanks. I’m looking for the ones that the sensor won’t pick up on its own. Besides, you’ll need it for carrying all the fruit back down.”

“Oh yeah! Link’s slate thingy can carry a bunch of stuff in it right?!” Ridah asked excitedly.

“Yeah, it can-”

“I’ll see you guys later then.” Teru walked off towards the dense jungle.

“Will he be alright on his own?” Link worried aloud.

“He’ll be fine.”

Link looked back to see where the offhanded remark came from and saw Master Kohga approaching the group.

“I wouldn’t let him go off on his own if I wasn’t sure otherwise.” Kohga assured Link with an affectionate pat on his shoulder.

Crossing the Floria bridge Link had to stop to take in the view. Cascading waterfalls created a fine mist, and blue feathered cranes birds flew freely through the gentle glint of a rainbow. The water shimmered with the golden light of the sun and all around him he perceived the light fragrant smell of the tropical flora and palm fruits.

“Was it everything you’d thought it’d be?” Kohga wrapped his arm along Link’s shoulders.

“It’s incredible!” Link grinned.

“Perhaps I should bring you along on more of my missions.” He said pulling in Link into a hug.

“You really mean that?”

“Of course, I’ve been wanting to. I’ve just been waiting for you to make a full recovery.” He said giving Link a peck on his forehead.

Link saw the others were already on the other side of the bridge. He grabbed Kohga’s hand and pulled him along, “Come on or they’ll leave us behind.”

“Oh please I can get up the cliff faster than any of them. Including you.”

“Wanna bet?” Link smirked.

“What are we betting?” Kohga smiled widely.

“How about... loser has to fulfill the winner’s request?”

“Hmm. Are you sure you want to bet that?”

“I don’t plan to lose.” Link cocked his eyebrow.

“I know you don’t, but you will.” Kohga chuckled.

“Don’t be so sure!”

Link dashed off sprinting at full speed. Whizzing past Endai, Jinsai, and Ridah who also hurried to get up the cliff. Every time he felt he was about to become short of breath he gobbled up an energizing meat skewer. He leaped onto the walls of the cliff and continued to his climb at a breakneck pace. Leaping several times over would’ve caused him to lose his grip eventually but he had prepared a couple of enduring elixirs and was able to make it to the top of the towering cliff in record time. He was bent over heaving with exhaustion but to his dismay, he saw a familiar pair of feet were already there waiting for him. He looked up at his master who had his arms crossed with a smug grin to accompany his condescending posture.

“How?” Link heaved dumfounded.

“No tricks, just years of practice.”

“You didn’t even,” the boy had to pause mid-sentence, “Break a sweat!”

“Well, I wanted to give you a chance to win. After all, I am curious, what did you want as a favor had you won?”

Link brushed his sleeves avoiding Kohga’s eyes, “It doesn’t matter now. You won.”

“Well then doesn’t that mean you have to fulfill my request?” Kohga turned Link’s head and lifted his chin. “So?”

Link’s cheeks were dusted with a light blush, “I… it’s kind of dumb.”

“I won’t laugh.”

“I was, that is I wondered if you could teach me how to swim.”

“Ah I see, of course, cuccos aren’t natural-born swimmers, now are they?”

“Oh for Din’s sake.” Link batted Kohga's hand way.

“You know the angrier you get the more I’m going to tease you right?” Kohga said catching Link’s small fists in his hands. The boy pouted at having his movement restricted but for the sake of giving Kohga no more reason to tease him he let him hold him in place.

“It’s not like I don’t know how to swim but it’s more like I need reminding on how to do it. You know?”

“I see. Well, I’ll give you some lessons after we’re done with our mission for today Sound good?”

Link nodded and Kohga gave him a soft kiss before letting him go. Since they were the first ones at the top of the cliff, they took their time picking the bunches of mighty bananas that hung on the many small palm trees that laid scattered about. It wasn’t too long before the other Yiga finally made it up the cliff and to their delight Link’s slate seemed to have a limitless storage capacity. By the time they combed over the whole topside of the cliff it’d begun to rain heavily. Thunder and lightning became frequent shortly after.

“Put away any of your weapons made of metal.” Master Kohga instructed Link.

Link had taken notice that Endai, Ridah, and Jinsai had only brought bows and now it made sense why. Luckily for Link, his new guardian sword didn’t seem to attract any electricity. Link felt thankful for the Sheikah technology, he felt naked if he didn’t have at least a melee weapon on hand. Link was about to continue with his search for more bananas when Kohga held him back by the wrist.

“Stay close. We don’t know where the lightning will strike but we have a better chance of avoiding it if we stay here.” Kohga pulled Link next to the trunk of a large palm tree.

He saw the others doing the same practically hugging the tree for shelter. All around them lighting struck the ground, setting the grass and plants ablaze momentarily before they were doused by the rain. In one instance the palm tree they were under got struck and Link instinctively clutched onto Kohga.

“I didn’t think you’d get scared.” Kohga remarked.

“I’m not I just got startled.” Link said trying to sound tough.

“Uh-uh.” Kohga held onto Link tightly while they waited for the storm to stop.

When the rain finally came to an end, they resumed their task with newfound haste. As they continued their mission, they cleared out the nearby bokoblin camps just to assure they wouldn’t be disturbed by the pig-faced monsters while they finished their scavenging. In between collecting bananas and slaying lizalfos and electric chuchus alike, Link even found a couple more korok seeds.

“He’s right next to me.” Link pointed to his forest friend who had popped up from underneath a rock in the middle of a small bog.

“Sorry, I don’t see anything Link.” Kohga scratched his head.

Link frowned and thoughtlessly dropped the rock on the little korok’s head.

_Oof_

“Oops, sorry about that. Hey wait. You saw that right?” Link looked at Kohga again.

“Saw what?”

“The rock didn’t fall straight to the ground, it hit something right?”

“Sort of? I’m not really sure.”

“Oh.” Link sighed.

“I don’t doubt you, love.”

Link blushed, “I just want to prove they’re real somehow.”

Kohga laughed softly, “Isn’t it enough that I take your word for it?”

Link hopped over the small bog and returned to Kohga’s side, “I just. It’s not that it’s not enough, I sort of want to prove it to myself too. For a while, I sorta thought I might’ve been crazy for seeing things others didn’t.”

“Well, when you put it like that you definitely sound delusional.” He teased while ruffling the boy’s hair.

“Hey!”

“You’re crazy when it comes to other things, though some people would call it bravery. Charging headfirst into a bokoblin camp for example.”

“That’s not brave those guys are pushovers.”

“The weaker one yes, but if you get too cocky someday you might end up regretting it. No matter how skilled or powerful you become never underestimate your enemies.”

“Is that some kind of lesson on being a leader?”

“It’s more of just a general rule for survival. If you want to be allowed to go on solo missions, you’ll have to prove you’re capable enough of handling yourself on your own.”

Link maneuvered himself over the edge of the cliff, “I’ll consider it.”

Kohga chuckled and joined him on his descent down the cliff. By the time they finished exploring the group had gathered over sixty bunches of bananas in total. All safely stored in Link’s Sheikah slate.

“Man, I wish we had something like this years ago.” Endai said while looking at the Sheikah slate.

“Definitely makes carrying them back a lot easier.” Jinsai agreed.

“First day on mission and it’s already a huge success!” Ridah exclaimed joyfully.

“At this rate, we’ll definitely be returning home with more than a hundred stalks.” Endai estimated while handing back the slate to Link.

“We also got pretty lucky with the weather today. What should we do next?” Jinsai looked at the group for an answer.

“Link and I are gonna do some swimming.” Master Kohga responded.

“Ooh! I know a good spot. Sarjon Bridge, we passed it on our way here. You guys should go there.”

“Thanks for the tip, Ridah.” Link said.

“You guys don’t want to tag along?” Kohga asked.

“Eh, I don’t care too much for swimming.” Endai shrugged.

“I’m actually kind of hungry so I’m going to grab a bite at the stable.” Jinsai explained.

“Same.” Ridah added.

“Well alright then, we’ll see you all later.” Kohga wrapped his arm around Link’s waist as they departed from the group.

Sarjon Bridge was a small stone overpass that came between a small waterfall that flowed down into a larger one. It had an uneven bedrock which provided an ideal variation of challenge and safety for a novice swimmer. Kohga first removed his shoes, then his grey pourpoint, and lastly his loose-fitting beige shirt and left them on the side of the bridge. Link couldn’t help but gawk at his master’s rippling muscles which were marred by countless scars.

“Are you planning to get your clothes wet?” Kohga looked at Link with a sassy smirk.

“No.” Link half-turned somewhat embarrassed now to do the same.

After he had removed his boots and shabby shirt Link followed Kohga down a small slope into the small river of rushing water. They entered the shallow most part of the stream which was on the drop-off end of the large waterfall and carefully waded their way to the center where there were several large rocks that provided ample room for standing.

“Alright I figure it’ll be easier to understand what you need to do by showing you rather than just telling you. So watch closely.”

Link watched as Master Kohga turned his body to face the large rock and gripped onto the edge that remained above the water.

“There’s two parts to this. First, you gotta kick your legs like this.”

Letting his body sink into the water Master Kohga demonstrated the kicking motion that allowed his body to stay close to the surface of the water while also creating a lot of splashing behind him.

“Now grab onto the rock from here and give it a try.”

Link positioned himself against the rock as Kohga had shown him.

“Alright just let your body sink and start moving your legs up and down. Kind of like you’re running but you’re taking small and loose strides.”

Link flailed his legs as best he could. Kohga saw that Link’s movements were just a bit too chaotic so he took the liberty of adjusting Link’s posture by holding his stomach and nudging his legs a bit higher.

“Keep kicking but keep your legs closer together.”

Link refocused on his legs making his moving his legs more deliberately.

“Good. Keep that up.”

Link couldn’t see very well but he could hear he was making a substantial splash behind himself and took it as a good sign.

“There you’ve got it. Okay, now, the second part is the arms.”

Link stopped splashing to see the next part of the lesson.

“You have a couple of options, but just do what feels natural to you.” Kohga walked further away from the shallow bedrock until the water was halfway up his chest.

“You can do it like this.” He swung his arms forward like a waving windmill alternating the stroke of each arm. “Or like this.” He then switched to moving his arms from the center of his chest and outward horizontally in sync.

“But either way the point is to push the water away from you. Don’t think of it as something that phases right past you. It may not be solid, but it still has mass so just think of it like, like you?” He scratched his head, “What’s a good metaphor?”

“Like when you dig yourself out of a sand dune?” Link chimed in.

“Sure we’ll go with that. So like with sand you want to break through it and give yourself a space to move forward. That’s essentially what you’re doing with your arms while your legs are propelling you forward. Makes sense?”

“I guess so?” The explanation didn’t give him much confidence.

“Alright let’s have at it then. Try swimming towards me.”

Though the distance was a very short one Link felt like he was one wrong move from drowning. He took a few steps forward and the water was already at his neck.

“It’s alright Link just lunge yourself forward and start kicking like we practiced. If anything goes wrong, I’ll be right there to catch you, I promise.”

Link’s anguish must have been all too apparent, but his master’s reassurance helped him calm his nerves. He hopped in the water testing his buoyancy. The river’s current gently pushed him back. He moved his arms forward trying to get a feel for the movement he wanted.

“Good, now start kicking.”

Link began to move his legs but after a few kicks the thought of leaving the safety of the bedrock paralyzed him.

“I can’t. The current keeps pushing me back.” He yelped in anguish.

Kohga swam forward to Link’s side, “Yes, you can. Here hold onto my hand.” Kohga took hold of Link’s left hand and slowly pulled him into the river, “Now start paddling with your other arm.”

Link followed Kohga’s guidance to the letter, stroking his arm through the water while kicking his legs as much as he could.

“You see?” Kohga smiled proudly at his little cucco.

“Don’t let go.” Link pleaded he was getting the hang of his movements but still wasn’t confident he could swim on his own.

“But I have to, it’ll be ok just do the same thing with your other arm.” Kohga kept pulling Link out further into the river and then let go of the boy’s hand.

“Don’t panic Link you’re doing great. Just keep your eyes on me.”

Link brought his focus forward. Master Kohga was looking at him with a gentle smile and his arm extended towards him waiting for Link to reclaim it. His kicks began to pick up speed while his arms continued to wade forward. He gradually gained momentum as his movements became more precise with the timing of his strokes. Then it clicked as though he’d known along.

Seeing Link make progress, Kohga swam just a bit further until he was just a few paces away from the other end of the stream and near the cascade of the small waterfall. Link kept moving steadily despite beginning to feel his muscles ache. Just before he lost the last of his stamina, he reached Kohga’s hand and was pulled into his arms.

“You see? You did it all by yourself. I’m so proud of you.”

Kohga’s praise had Link glowing. While he caught his breath, he felt a hand caress his wet cheek. Link mimicked the action before leaping forward and planting a kiss on Kohga’s lips. His master groaned in surprise.

“What was that about? Not that I minded.”

“It’s a thank you, for teaching me.”

“A thank you hu? Well, maybe I should do you more favors from now on hmm?”

He began to kiss Link’s chin when suddenly Link’s stomach growled.

“Looks like I should start by making you something to eat.”

“No! I’ll do the cooking.” Link laughed.

Kohga feigned shock, “What? You don’t like my cooking?”

“You’re terrible you said so yourself!”

“Ouch. But I guess I did, didn’t I?”

“Mmhmm.” Link turned to begin the walk back to the stable but Kohga pulled him back into his arms.

“This won’t do. I need to get more kisses. I know I’ll carry you back to the stable!”

“No! Stop!” Link protested through copious giggling.

Kohga was quick to get them back onto the bridge.

“Wait our shoes!”

“It’s too late for them!”

“No, stop be serious.” Link grabbed his master’s nose distracting him to a halt.

“Alright, alright.” Kohga let Link down which allowed the release of his nose as well.

The two came running back to the stable just as another thunderous shower began. They were greeted by Jinsai who offered them some blankets to dry off. They each took a seat at one of the tables. Link shook his hair scattering droplets of water all over the floor.

“Here you two, this oughta keep you warm.” Ridah set down two bowls of soup on the table for Link and Kohga.

“How uncharacteristically sweet of you Ridah, I hope it’s not poisoned.” Kohga jested.

Link choked, spitting the spoonful of soup he had in his mouth.

“Take it easy.” Jinsai said patting the blonde’s back.

Kohga hardly stifled the snort that he held behind a roguish grin. Link shot him a cross look before retaking his spoon.

“Sorry.” Kohga murmured.

“Where’s Teru?” Endai came walking up to the table.

“He’s not here?” Link shot his comrade a worried look.

“It’s not like him to stay out this long. Thought maybe he ran into you guys and that’s why he hadn’t come back yet.”

“No, we haven’t seen him since the last time we were all together.” Link creased brows and looked to Kohga who was calmly eating his soup.

“Don’t worry about him. He’s fine. He’s not as helpless as you think.” Kohga said assuredly.

“Yeah, but it’s getting late what if he was on his way back but got delayed by the storm? It would be dangerous if he got left out there for another hour.” Jinsai objected.

_KRWASH!_

A bolt of lightning hit the stable grounds and sent a powerful reverb throughout the interior of the wooden and canvas lodge. Even in the shelter of the stable they were just one strike away from becoming decimated. Teru was out there in the jungle with far less. It wasn’t just the storm that was worrisome and the thought of what might happen to him made Link lose his appetite. He stood up without a word and it was obvious to everyone what needed to be done.

“Alright.” Master Kohga stood up, breaking the tension that had built in the air. “I’ll go look for him. The rest of you wait here in case he comes back.”

“I’ll go with you Master Kohga. I can help you track-”

“Jin, I’m ordering you all to stay put. Besides I’m just a good a tracker as you. I’ll be fine.” Kohga placed his hand on Jinsai’s shoulder, “Let me ease you mind, Jin. I’ll take care of it.”

Jinsai let out a deep sigh and slumped down into a chair as though it had been taking him all his energy to stay afoot. With no other objections, Master Kohga left the stable without another word. All they could do was wait for the safe return of both fellow Yiga.

“Jin are you ok?” Link asked. Just a moment ago the freckled-faced man seemed so tense and now he looked more relaxed than Link would’ve thought possible.

“Yeah, I’m ok Link thanks for asking.”

“You were getting so worked up and now you’re just…” Link stopped himself. Jinsai had closed his eyes and was taking long deep breaths while opening and closings his hands in tandem to his breathing.

“Right this is probably the first time you’ve seen me like this. I uh, well you know when Master Kohga helped you out with your nightmares?”

“Yeah?” Link took a seat next to him.

“Well, he’s helped me in the past in a similar way. See sometimes when I’m in a stressful situation or I start to worry too much about things that could happen, it can cause my body to react in a sort of intense way. Like just now Master Kohga used a hypnotic trigger to help me ground myself.”

“A hypnotic trigger?” Link looked at his friend wide-eyed.

“Um, I’m not sure how to explain it, but point is he uses it to help me manage my anxiety in emergencies. When we’re on mission it can be a lifesaver.” Jinsai closed his eyes again and repeated his breathing procedure, “I know it must all seem pretty weird right?”

“N-no! It’s just, it’s a lot to think about.”

Jinsai chuckled lightly, “Yeah I get you.”

“So, what are you doing now? Meditating?”

“Yeah, basically. The trigger is just like a helpful safety net but it’s up to me to make sure I don’t go into a full-on panic. It doesn’t always work but I’ve learned how to handle lots of situations thanks to Master Kohga’s help. It used to be really hard but over the years I’ve gotten a lot better at managing it.”

After another set of exhales Jinsai stood up, “I’ll get us some tea while we wait for Master Kohga and Teru to get back.”

“Oh you don’t have to, let me do that.” Link turned out his chair to get up but before he could Jinsai tapped him on his shoulder directing him to sit back down.

“It’s alright Link, I’m feeling ok, plus it helps me to stay on my toes, you know?”

The quick Yiga walked off to the stable’s reception desk. He took a moment to survey the rest of the stable’s denizens many of which were chatting and sharing a meal with their fellow travelers. He noticed Endai was lounging on his bed and reading a small pamphlet. Meanwhile Ridah was sitting cross legged on her bed and fidgeting with her hair, undoubtedly bored.

“Here.” Jinsai set down a warm cup of tea in front of Link.

“Thanks, is this green tea?” Link gave the cup a curious sniff.

“Yes.” Jinsai’s smile almost instantly vanished, “Oh no, I forgot to ask what you like. Should I get you something else?”

“N-no this is fine; it just smells different from what I’ve tried back at camp.”

“Oh, yeah.” Jinsai sighed in relief, “Different folks have different ways of making their teas. No one cup of tea is the same in all of Hyrule as they say!”

“Who says that?”

“N-no one, it’s just an expression. You know what never mind.”

Link took a sip, “It's good.” He smiled hoping to put Jinsai at ease, “So, I know you’re mostly a scout but how come this is the first time we’re on a mission together? I’ve done a few missions like this before.”

“Oh, well that’s probably because I’m what you would call a scout master, my missions usually take me pretty far from the hideout.”

“Oh I see. I bet Mila and Kohma miss you a lot when you’re away hu?”

“Yeah it’s the same for me too, but that just motivates me to get my work done faster.”

“How come you became a scout? Wouldn’t working as a full-time assassin give you more time to be close to home? I heard Ridah say you use to train with them.”

“Oh yeah that was a waaaaaays back before Master Kohga was made the head of the clan.”

Jinsai took a long sip from his cup, “See back when Kohga’s old man was the head, the way things were was everyone’s position was decided based on your skills and performance. The higher-ranking clansmen decided my role was to be an assassin like you guys, but when Master Kohga stepped up he decided that everyone should be able to choose their stations. That was a huge relief for me because well, I can’t stand the sight of blood. I almost always faint just from the sight of it.”

He took another long drink from his cup obscuring the sight of his reddened cheeks, “And when Mila was born, Kohma was so worried I’d get hurt or you know…” His face turned serious, “So changing ranks to become a full-time scout became the obvious choice.”

“Wow.” Link looked dumbfounded. “I never would’ve pegged you as squeamish.”

“Yeah, pretty silly right? An assassin who’s scared of blood.” He laughed, “And actually I wasn’t supposed to join you guys for this mission, but Mila’s birthday is next week, so I switched shifts with Tengu.”

“Oh! How old is she going to be?” Link watched as Jinsai’s eyes lit up with paternal pride.

“She’s going to be seven. I can hardly believe how fast the time goes by; it feels like she’s growing up so fast.”

“She’s really lucky to have you and Kohma.”

Jinsai nodded, “Ah to be honest most of the time I feel like Kohma and I hardly know what we’re doing but we make it work somehow.”

“I wish I could remember my parents. I think if I just had one memory of them, I wouldn’t feel so…” Link trailed off wondering what exactly he felt a loss of.

“You don’t have to remember them to know that they loved you very much. The person you are is proof of that.”

Link set down his cup before he lost his grip on the handle.

“Sorry, I know it’s not my place to say that. But it’s true you know. You’re smart and kind. Any parent would be proud. At least that’s how I feel.” Jinsai paused a moment staring at the water in his cup. “When I see my Mila, I hope I’m doing enough to teach her that much.”

Link thought hard on what Jinsai was telling him. Could that really be enough? If Mila grew up and forgot about her mother and father would Jinsai still think the same? Would she feel the same? But if Mito was right and recovering his memories became an impossibility then… he’d have no choice but to accept this idea as his only means of knowing. Which didn’t leave him with any reassurance that it would be the truth.

The pouring rain pelted the roof of the small stone grotto that Teru had found to take refuge in. He leaned against a treasure chest he’d found in the small gravely enclosure. He waited in silence though not for the storm to subside.

“Don’t you think you’ve caused enough trouble? Are you happy? You’ve made everyone worry about you.”

Teru looked up to see Master Kohga’s large frame just outside the mouth of the grotto, “Not everyone apparently.” He replied scathingly.

Kohga let out a disgruntled sigh, “Alright what is it you want?”

Teru stood up sending a caustic glare at Kohga, “What is it you’re playing at with Link?”

Kohga scoffed at the question, “Well, isn’t that just the thing? There is no game.”

“Oh come on, don’t play dumb with me! I know you. The hero of Hyrule? A nice shiny new toy for you to play with, right?”

Kohga leaned against the soggy rock of the small cavern. He watched in smug silence as Teru’s face slowly went from boiling rage to anxious confusion. Kohga moved into the cave which barely seemed large enough to contain him. While he closed the proximity between their faces, he coyly caressed Teru’s face, “It’s funny you call him a toy as if you were even that much to me.”

Teru turned away from the touch in anger though part of him wished it could have stayed there.

“What is it you want me to tell you hmm? The truth?” He kept pushing forward, backing Teru to the wall of the cave, “That you were less than a toy? At least if you were a toy, I would’ve kept you for when I got bored.”

Though Teru tried to keep a frown on his face his eyes were turned glassy with every word Kohga spat.

“I told you. ‘I don’t get attached.’ But you thought you’d be different.” Kohga grabbed Teru from his waist and forcefully pulled him against his hips.

Feeling Kohga’s cock rubbed up against him Teru couldn’t help but get flushed.

“And now look at you. So desperate to convince yourself that you weren’t just nothing. Nothing but an easy fuck for me to blow off some steam, isn’t that right?”

Teru’s grimace turned feral. Without thinking he raised his hand to slap Kohga but, the other man caught his wrist immediately. He instinctively tried to pull away but Kohga’s tight grip held him in place. His grip was painfully tight, and he shrieked when the brute twisted it slightly upwards pulling him forward.

“You would do well to remember your place, or I might not be so forgiving next time.”

Kohga tightened his grip on Teru’s wrist just to drive home his message. Teru stubbornly attempted to withstand the pain while Kohga stared down Teru with callous eyes. It was then the young man realized in horror that if he did not concede Kohga wouldn't hesitate to break his wrist. Teru finally cried out in defeat and as he'd hoped he was released from the torturous hold. Kohga promptly abandoned the confines of the grotto without so much as a glance at Teru.

“Hurry up! You’ve wasted enough of my time already.”

Teru held onto his wrist protectively. With no other choice, Teru followed his leader back to the Lakeside stable.

The hot oil popped as Link stirred drumstick and fillet alike in the outdoor cooking pot. As soon as the storm had shown the first signs of letting up Link went straight to cooking dinner for his clanmates. He filled the pot with enough fish and poultry to feed seven people. He knew as soon as they’d get a whiff of his spicy prime meat and seafood fry Jinsai, Endai, and Ridah would come looking to try a bite despite having already eaten earlier. While he let the meat sizzle, he took a handful of warm safflinas and peeled off the excess leaves. Then crushed the flowers and split the stems of the plant to use as seasoning. It would give his dish a fragrant aroma as well as a complimentary contrast to the savory taste of the meant. More importantly, Teru and Master Kohga were likely to have gotten soaked by the rain and the meal would keep them from catching a cold.

“Whoa, are you going to eat all that?” Jinsai looked bug-eyed at the copious amount of food in the pot.

“No, It’s also for Master Kohga and Teru. I’m sure they’ll be starving when they get back, so I wanted to make something for them. Hey, would you mind helping me set this up on the table?”

“Oh yeah sure!” Jinsai happily obliged.

While Jinsai got ahold of one of the tables in the stable and placed several plates, Link served a generous portion of food on each one. The smell of the seafood fry filled the stable and piqued the interest of their other two clanmates.

“I gotta admit I kinda wish I hadn’t eaten earlier, then I could’ve had some right now.”

“I made enough for everyone, go ahead and have some Jin.”

“Oh no, I couldn’t. What if you run out for Master Kohga, he has a pretty big appetite and I wouldn-”

“It’s no problem Jin, really I can always make more. Please just help yourself to a plate.” Link insisted.

“Come on Jin, just take the hint, if you don’t all this good food is going to go to waste.” Endai said taking a plate for himself.

“Alright you don’t have to twist my arm. Thanks Link.”

Link gave his friend a warm smile reassuring him it was alright. Moments after Teru and Master Kohga came walking in. They both left a trail of water as they rejoined the others at the table. Upon seeing the two men arrive Jinsai heaved with a huge sigh of relief and immediately fetched them towels to dry off. Teru put down his backpack and removed his light brown jacket, boots and leaving on only a thin undershirt and his pants on. Looking considerably worn out he sat down at the table without acknowledging the other Yiga.

“I’m so glad you’re ok.” Link confided softly as he put down a plate in front of Teru.

Teru ignored Link, he seemed annoyed which was typical of him, but Link hoped he’d change his tune after getting some food in his stomach. Teru stared blankly at the delectable meal before him. The last thing he wanted right now was to enjoy anything Link gave him, but his stubbornness was no match for his hunger.

“What did you make us this time?” Master Kohga’s deep voice intoned pleasantly behind Link. He’d taken off his soaked pourpoint, his shirt, and his trousers. He used the towel Jinsai had provide to keep himself looking decent.

“Prime meat and seafood fry; seasoned with warm safflinas.” Link answered handing his master the plate with the most food.

“Looks exquisite just like the cook who made it.” Kohga gave Link a peck while he received the plate from the boy’s hands.

From the corner of Link’s eye, he saw Teru frown.

“Is something wrong?” Link said with concern.

“Don’t mind him, he’s just in a mood because he got lost looking at some ruins, isn’t that right?” Master Kohga said as he took his seat in front of Teru.

Teru echoed Master Kohga’s words flatly with a scowl on his face, “That’s right.”

Link thought he saw Master Kohga flash a condescending smirk before digging into his meal.

“So, I take it you didn’t find what you were looking for?” Endai asked.

“If he did, he would’ve been bragging about it by now.” Ridah deduced.

Teru put down his fork in offense towards Ridah’s assessment of him. That’s when Link took notice of the bruise on his wrist. The blonde set down his plate hard on the table, “Teru! What happened to your hand?”

Teru instinctively pulled his wrist out of sight, holding it in his other hand, “Nothing it's fine. Just a little bruise.”

“Didn’t you tell me you ran into a bokoblin camp?” Kohga said without looking up.

Teru tenderly massaged his wrist as he spoke, “Yes… I ran into one near the ruins. That’s how I got this. I had a, I was fighting off one of them and I took a hit.”

Link hurriedly fetched a roll of bandages and helped Teru wrap his damaged wrist. The white-haired youth was taken aback by Link’s genuine regard for his wellbeing. Though part of him wanted to refuse the boy’s help, the rational part of him knew it would be better to not make a fuss of it right now.

“I thought the reason we let you go off on your own was because you’d be fine.” Link reprimanded.

“I-”

“Yeah, it’s not like you to get one-upped by those monsters.” Ridah poked Teru’s side.

“That’s what happens when you go poking your nose where it doesn’t belong.” Kohga remarked.

Teru stared stoically back at Kohga, “Yes, quite careless of me. I should’ve expected no less from that monster. Considering I’m still inexperienced with infiltrating behind enemy lines. But you know me once I get invested in something I don’t give up without a fight.”

Kohga chuckled, “You really shouldn’t go testing your luck like that. We wouldn’t want you losing more than just a hand.”

Teru tensed under Kohga’s eyes. Even though he knew he was just goading him, he refused to back down.

“Teru,” Link’s soft voice cut the tension between the two other men, “I know how passionate you are about your work but please don’t put your life in harm’s way.” He said while he secured the bandage on Teru’s wrist.

Teru scoffed and returned his gaze back towards Kohga, “I’m not going to throw my life away. I may have misjudged that beast today, but next time I’ll be sure to exploit its weakness.”

Kohga merely smirked as he returned his gaze to his plate.

“You’re not planning to go back out there on your own again, right?” Link asked.

“I hope the only reason you’re phrasing that as a question is because you have a better option?” Teru sneered.

Link paid no mind towards his clan mate’s hostility, “I’ll go with you.”

Teru rolled his eyes.

“But Link we need you with us.” Endai objected.

Link shook his head, "I may have joined you on this mission, but my priority is still the shrines. So, sorry, but you’ll have to do the mission without me tomorrow.”

“But you, he can’t do that right Master Kohga?” Endai whined.

Kohga calmly took a sip of some tea Jinsai had poured him, “Why are you so surprised Endai? Anyone who is invited to come along on a mission is under no obligation to complete the mission’s objectives.”

The lazy Yiga grumbled in defeat. The others continued eating in peace and made small talk during the rest of the evening. All except Teru who remained quiet. He was the first to turn in for the night, which made sense, but Link suspected it wasn’t just because he was tired. He got up to follow Teru but Kohga stopped him before he made any headway.

“Don’t.”

“But,”

“He wants to be alone right now. He’ll just get angrier with you if you bother him right now.” “But, why is he angry?”

“Link don’t be dense; he’s tired from wandering through the forest all day and on top of that he got ruffed up by some monsters. Of course, he’d be upset. Besides we should be getting ready to do the same.”

“Alright.” The boy conceded.

He followed Kohga to the bed that stood in the back center of the stable. While Kohga made himself comfortable on the bed Link looked to both sides of the stable. It shouldn’t have been surprising but just the same, all the other beds had been taken up by his other clan mates or other travelers.

“Wait, we’re sharing a bed tonight?”

“Tonight, and every night.” Kohga patted a spot on the mattress inviting Link to join him.

Link bunched up the ends of his shirt in his fists and hesitantly sat on the bed.

“Lay down. Or are you going to sleep like a horse?” Kohga bantered knowing all too well what was going through the blonde’s head.

Link looked Kohga in the eye. A small grimace formed onto his face, “You promised.”

“Don’t you trust me?” Kohga gently cupped Link’s cheek with his hand.

“Of course, but,” Link hesitantly whispered, “You’re not naked under that towel, right?”

Kohga chuckled softly, “Naturally, of course, if you’d prefer me without undergarments that could be arranged.”

Link was either about to smack Kohga or die of embarrassment, “N-no I don’t-”

“I’m kidding, you’re so easy to fluster. Come on now.”

After a moment of hesitation, the boy nodded; sank into the bedding, and huddled close to Kohga’s chest. Kohga lay quietly on his back, affectionately rubbing Link’s earlobes while Link listened to the sound of their breathing. His master’s touch quickly eased his apprehension and his mind returned to the scene at dinner. He wasn’t sure why he’d found Kohga’s exchanges with Teru just a bit odd.

“Is there something going on between you and Teru?”

“What do you mean?”

“When we were at the table you kept smiling at him, is there something else that happened?”

“What an active imagination you have my love. I wasn’t smiling at him; I was simply enjoying your delicious cuisine.” Kohga condescended while brushing Link’s lips with his fingers.

Link paused thinking back to the scene at the dinner, why had he thought Kohga’s smile was directed at Teru?

“Now if I may, I’ve been waiting to ask you something.” Link looked back up at Kohga, whatever he thought he saw was probably nothing.

Kohga shifted to laying on his side and holding his head with his arm; effectively curtailing Link’s perspective to only see him. He curled his free hand back around the boy’s soft cheek.

“Did you enjoy yourself last night?” A wicked smile sprawled across Kohga’s face.

Link’s mind instantly brought him back to the previous night, Kohga’s whispers, his commands, and the surreal feeling of pleasure that had dared to overwhelm him. He pulled the sheets close, in his best attempt to hide his burning face.

“Now you’re back to acting shy? What happened to all that confidence when you taunted me with those berries?”

“Th-that was different.” Link insisted while Kohga tugged away the sheets.

“Am I going to have to hypnotize you again to get my answer?”

“You promised me you wouldn’t do that.” Link squeaked in panic.

“You said ‘no sex in public’ you didn’t say anything about hypnosis and you definitely didn’t mind it yesterday. Besides, you’re so easy to hypnotize it’s like your mind was made for me to toy with. Why shouldn’t I put you into trance whenever I want?”

“I-I won’t let you.” Link stared doggedly at Kohga.

“Is that right?” Kohga intoned sensually, “Well then you have nothing to worry about, right? Because if you don’t want to be hypnotized, nothing will happen. And if nothing happens then you can just easily relax.”

Kohga took both of Link’s hands and balled them into tight fists.

“Because you’ll be the one holding onto the control. Can you imagine what it would feel like if you let go of it? Control over your mind and body? Of course, you can, because you have. Every time I’ve hypnotized you, you remember how it felt to let go of that control.”

Link found himself clenching his fist tightly. Determined to keep himself from slipping under Kohga’s spell.

“That’s right, hold on to it Link. You don’t want to let go of your control, right?” Kohga began to fire his words in rapid succession, “Hold on tightly. Don’t let me distract you. Don’t think about the familiar way I’m touching you now.”

While Link kept both hands tightly held together, Kohga started lazily stroking Link’s back with his fingers, drawing little spirals into him over and over again.

“Don’t think about how good it felt last time I hypnotized you. Don’t think about how happy being hypnotized makes you feel. Don’t think about how hard it’s becoming to hold onto that control. Don’t think about how easy it would be to just let go.”

Link’s eyes were fixed on his hands, his eyebrows thoroughly creased, and his breathing came in short spurts. Kohga had him right where he wanted, completely focused.

“Don’t think about the words I’m telling you. Don’t think about how tired you’re feeling. Don’t think. Don’t think.”

Link’s head had grown fuzzy. He thought holding his hands together would’ve been easy, but he was straining to keep them together. What’s more, he hadn’t been able to ignore the sensation on his back, as well as Kohga’s words. His mind had been going back forth between all three and it left him feeling confused as though he were buzzed on liquor.

“It’s hard to keep those hands together isn’t it?”

Link couldn’t speak he was so absorbed in his task he’d surely lose his grip if he tried to speak. But it was true, it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep his hands tightly bound together.

“They must feel heavy. Just like your eyes. They’ve grown so very heavy.”

It was true, everything Kohga said became true.

“It’s alright, you’ll feel so much better if you let them go. Go ahead, let go . . .” Link couldn’t hold on any longer, the moment his hands went limp his eyes closed.

“And just sleep.”

Link felt the familiar feeling of his mind dropping deep into trance, that dark empty floating space in his head.

“You see I was right, you wanted to be hypnotized. I’m always right about you Link. You feel so much better now, don’t you?”

“Mhmm.” The boy hummed helplessly.

“That’s right, this is what you wanted, this is what you always want. To give up all control to me. That’s why you want to be hypnotized. You understand that now, don’t you, my sweet boy?”

Link gave a soft whine of approval.

“Yes, that’s right, you don’t just want it. You crave it, you yearn so deeply to lose control that’s why you always fall for me so deeply and so very easily, even when you don't realize you’ve fallen into trance.” Kohga brought his hand back up to caress Link’s flushed cheek.

“Now, I want to know the truth. Did you like the way I made you feel last night? Nod for me if you did.”

Link nodded.

“Did you _love_ it?”

He nodded enthusiastically.

“Do you want me to make you feel like that over and over again?”

He kept nodding.

“Would you like that right now my love?”

He showed no signs of stopping.

“Really? Even though we’re in public?”

Link nodded relentlessly.

“Oh no, you’re such a lewd boy Link, and you’ve been dishonest with me, haven’t you?”

Link’s nods slowed down; his brows furrowing in shame.

“I don’t appreciate being lied to. After _all_ I do to make you happy, I deserve better, don’t I?"

Link whimpered and nodded like an obedient little pup.

“That’s right my sweet boy, you need to be honest with me. You must always tell me the truth whether you’re in or out of trance, understood?”

Link nodded reverently.

“Say it.”

“I will always tell you the truth.” Link mumbled.

“Good, very good Link.” Kohga brushed Link’s hair behind his ear and kissed him on his cheek.

The boy sighed happily as a gentle smile ingrained itself onto his face.

“Now since I’m a man of my word, I won’t do anything naughty right now.” Kohga booped Link’s nose playfully. “But since I’ve already got you here wrapped around my finger; I think it would be helpful to give you another little trigger. How does that sound to you? Good?”

“Mmm.”

“I was thinking... how about I give you a word to drop into trance even faster, and deeper every time I use it. That sounds fun doesn’t it?”

“Mhmm.”

“Every time I say the word ‘fall’ with a snap,” Kohga snapped his finger, “You'll instantly drop deep into trance. Every time I repeat **fall,** ” _snap!_ “You just give in so easily to becoming fully hypnotized. And the more I repeat this command the more powerful it becomes, understand?”

“Yes.” Link drawled out a dainty whisper.

“Good. Now open your eyes, wake up.”

Link’s eyes blinked open; he craned his neck slightly to look up at Kohga who smiled deviously at him.

Kohga stroked Link’s back lovingly, “Now, you might think you’re fully awake right now but actually, you’re still deeply hypnotized.”

At the mention of being hypnotized Link felt the pleasant buzzing return to the forefront of his mind as if it had always been there, and only now had he noticed it again. His eyes began to droop, threatening to close shut but he blinked in a frenzy determined to keep them open.

“That’s right, it feels like you’re awake but not quite. And I bet you’re just waiting for me to drop you back down. Maybe I will or, maybe I won’t, maybe I’ll just keep you here in this in-between space.”

Link had forgotten his words for a moment and looked at his master with pleading eyes hoping he’d know what he wanted to say.

“Hmm, you want to go back down, don’t you? Is that it, my precious cucco?” Kohga cooed.

“Y-yes.” Link was struggling to keep his eyes open, but he also couldn’t seem to just give up on staying awake, even though he didn’t want to. The dissonance between his mind and body sent him reeling. He felt his eyes slowly spinning, looking all around and wanting to just let them roll into the back of his head.

“You just want it so, _badly_ don’t you?”

“Yes, _please_.”

“Please what?” Kohga teased.

“Please, let me fall.”

“Come again?”

“Please let me fall.” Link groaned.

“Keep begging, quietly.” Kohga whispered.

“Please let me fall, please let me fall, please let me fall, please let me fall, please let me fall, please master please-”

“ **Fall.** ” _Snap!_

Link’s eyes fell shut like heavy doors and his mind sank deeply inwards on itself. Kohga let his arm rest around Link’s waist occasionally pinching the little bit of fat around his hips.

“Very good Link. Focus on this feeling right now, how it feels, how you love being so _deep_ in trance. This is where your mind will go instantly when you hear this command again and again. Every time sinking deeper into trance, every time more easily and effortlessly, every time I say the word, **Fall**.” _Snap!_

Link sighed deeply his expression so peaceful. Kohga relished having the young Hylian in such a vulnerable state all to himself.

“Now wake up, up, up, up.”

Link opened his eyes again. The buzzing, spinning feeling in his head came back twice as strong. He didn’t bother trying to look wide awake. It was too much already. He simply let his eyelids remain half-closed, while his eyes rolled lethargically around and around without rhyme or reason. He felt so befuddled even though he understood what was happening. That must have been why his eyes kept spinning, the confusion of his mind made itself manifested through his eyes. And even though he was completely lost in the feeling of his mind melting he felt himself enjoying it just the same. Thoroughly blissed out in being so lost and out of control.

“Look at you, so beautifully fractionated, just for me.” Kohga kissed Link’s lips softly. He scooched himself closer to the boy so he could feel Link’s soft breathing on his chest. Kohga let his hand glide its way up to Link’s chest.

“Hmmm, it’s just a shame we’re not alone right now.” Kohga buried his face into Link’s neck nipping and sucking on the tender skin. “The things I’d do to you while you’re like this, so helpless.”

Link gasped in a devilishly wonton manner as Kohga continued to titillate his neck.

“I’d have to use a gag to keep you quiet.”

Before Link made another sound Kohga planted his lips on Link’s. The boy’s moans were muffled by Kohga’s ravenous mouth. He kissed him deeply, letting his tongue creep further and further into his mouth. They both gasped heavily when Kohga finally let Link go.

“ **Fall.** ” _Snap!_

Link sank back down. Kohga wiped the dribble of saliva that had been left around Link’s chin.

“Although, I think I’d rather hear every perverted sound that mouth of yours can make.”

A deeper shade of red tainted Link’s cheeks. His breathing kept up a quick pace, and his brows became intensely furrowed. Kohga knew he was yearning but alas his fun had to come to an end.

“Hmm, looks like this is as far as we’ll go today. We can’t let you get too excited, now can we?” Kohga gave the boy a bit more space again.

“I’m going to count you back up now, when I finish, you’ll be back to your normal self and wide awake. Understood?”

Link confirmed with a nasally hum.

“Ten. Nine. Your mind easing back into consciousness. Eight. Seven. Every single breath returning you back to the waking world. Six. Five. Four. Control returning to your body. Three. Two. Almost fully wake. One. Wide awake.”

Link batted his eyes. He felt like himself again. A little floaty, a little groggy, but he was truly awake this time, in control once again.

“How’re you feeling, my love?” Kohga caressed Link’s arms.

Link held tight onto Kohga’s hand. His eyes suddenly became moist without warning. He moved himself to lay his head on Kohga’s chest. His warm skin soothing him. He whispered so only his master could hear him, “I love you.”

“I love you too.” He kissed Link’s forehead, “You went very deep, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, it felt so … I don’t know how to explain it, but it felt so good.”

“You’ve gotten so good at being hypnotized, remember when we first started? It would take you several minutes just to relax. Now you’re picking up triggers left and right. I’m so proud of you my little cucco.”

Link felt a little flutter of giddiness from Kohga’s praise, “It’s all thanks to you. You’ve been a very good teacher. Not just with hypnosis but with everything else. I can’t thank you enough Master.”

Kohga chuckled, “Now if only I could get you to speak less formally. You know you can just call me ‘Kohga’ right?”

“Ah.” Link blushed, looking away from his master’s eyes, “I can’t just do that. People will think I’m being disrespectful.”

“Well aren’t you such a good lad for trying to please everyone?” Kohga snarked.

Link felt an immediate pang of disappointment in Kohga’s choice of words.

“I’m not saying you have to. It would just make me happy if you did. Like when it’s just the two of us.”

“Oh, ok.” Link muttered.

“What are you thinking of now?” Kohga said noticing Link’s slight look of displeasure.

“Umm… I was,” Link bit his lip. He knew he didn’t have to say it, but he felt he was better off being more honest with Kohga. It was his decision and not because of what he'd been told while in trance, or so he told himself.

“I was thinking. If I call you ‘Kohga’ then could you call me a… ‘good boy’?” He felt embarrassed to say it, but only because he didn’t quite understand why he felt so good when Kohga said those two little words to him.

Kohga cocked an eyebrow, “Oh? Will that make you happy?”

Link pulled the sheets to hide his blushing face again, “Y-yes.”

Kohga’s baritone laugh seemed to taunt Link, “But if you want to be called ‘good’ you have to earn it understand?”

Link nodded, “I will … Kohga.”

A boastful smile spread across Kohga’s face; he knew Link would be eager to please and that just made teasing him all the more irresistible. Link started back at Kohga with an ardent yearning that was plainly visible in his innocent blue eyes. He placed his hand on Link’s chest, lightly caressing it and forcing the boy to wait for his prize. “ **Good boy.** ”

Pleasure rushed down Link’s spine all the way down to his groin. He closed his eyes and gave a deep contented sigh.

“I wish I could show you how much I love you right now.” Kohga whispered.

“You could just tell me.” Link said snuggling deeper into his master’s arms.

“There aren’t enough words to describe how much I love you.”

Link rolled his eyes, “So dramatic, I bet you can think of a few.”

“I could think of a hundred ways of saying it, and it still wouldn’t be enough.”

“Tell me one then.”

Link felt Kohga’s chest take a deep breath in.

“You’ve made every day of my life worth living.” Kohga said sincerely.

Of all the things Kohga could’ve said, he hadn’t expected anything quite like that. He looked up at him, half expecting the man to take back his words jokingly. Link stared into his enigmatic gold irises, “Do you really mean that?”

“I mean it with every fiber of my being.”

With no hesitation in his voice, Link’s doubts were dismantled. And yet he felt like he didn’t deserve those words. Not wanting to spoil the moment with those thoughts, Link gave Kohga another kiss and curled up in his arms settling in for the night.

Link was roused from sleep at the crack of dawn by Kohga. Since he wanted him and Teru to return before nightfall it was crucial for them to set out for their mission as early as possible. After Link prepared a few meals for the day he journeyed with Teru towards the east of the Floria river. The air was fresh, the leaves of the numerous palms were yet to be bathed by the sun’s rays, and the weather was apt for traveling.

“You said the tower filled in the map on the slate, right?” Teru asked while they walked on the well-worn travel path.

“Yeah.” Link replied keenly observant of the other’s body language.

“Then that’s where we’ll go first.”

Link nodded in agreement. He assumed Teru thought the map would allow them to focus their search for hidden shrines on key areas of interest while also helping them keep track of where they’ve been so as to not overlook any place that could be suspect. He could’ve simply asked him but after their last mission together Link felt unsure on how to approach him. Teru wore a composed but serious expression as he usually did which could’ve been a good sign. Perhaps Link was overthinking and Teru had already let bygones be just that. Or perhaps Teru had always feigned stoicism and Link was just starting to notice that it was just a mask. Or maybe he was always this abrasive but was good at keeping it underneath the surface and the problem was him, that he brought out the worst in Teru. As he dizzied himself with several probable scenarios it just made Link more convinced that he was better off staying quiet.

As the morning mist began to settle in and they drew closer to the tower Link wondered if Teru was going to divulge how he planned to make it up the tower. There was a steep ravine between them and where the tower lay so it seemed unlikely that they’d try leaping their way to the other side. Link could’ve built them a log bridge to get to the other side but all the palms around them were too thick from their trunks for Link to cut one down with just a sword. As they drew closer to the tower Link’s anticipation grew for Teru to break the silence between them. Surely, he’d say something by now?

Nothing. Teru didn’t even so much as look at Link the whole time. Maybe once they’d gotten closer, he’d say something. _Surely, he wouldn’t just…_

They had passed the tower, now leaving it behind them. The further they walked the more anxious Link became. He felt like he could’ve stopped following Teru and the Yiga wouldn’t have bothered looking back. Could that have been it, did Teru loathe Link’s company that much? The blonde wrestled with the disparaging thoughts of his comrade’s disdain. He stared at the back of his comrade’s white-haired head wondering what could he do to mend their relationship? Why were things so difficult between the two of them in the first place?

His eyes trailed down Teru’s back and stopped at his bandaged wrist and he remembered why he was there in the first place. Link shook his head and steeled his resolve. It didn’t matter if Teru hated him or what, he’d stick by him. A few more minutes, heck even hours of awkward silence was a small price to pay for keeping his fellow Yiga safe.

As the sun climbed higher, the humidity set in, and the jungle became alive with all the sounds of the birds and fauna going about their everyday routines. Several squawks, screeches, and croons could be heard near and far. The birds seemed rife with conversation, unlike him and Teru. Upon seeing Sarjon Bridge Link perked up remembering the events of the day before with fondness.

Teru must’ve noticed it on his face, “Ridah said you went swimming yesterday.”

“Mmhmm.” Link nodded.

“How was it?” Teru asked still looking up ahead as they crossed the bridge.

“It was fine.” Link replied almost stumbling on his words surprised by Teru’s sudden interest.

“This way.” Teru pointed to his right towards the dense tropical brush.

The sudden change gave Link whiplash, but he followed Teru off the path just the same. Link listened to the gentle gurgle of the stream they walked alongside as they made their way further into the jungle. Then suddenly a bolder came hurling towards them from the water. Link and Teru hurried behind the cover of the nearest tree as more rocks continued to be launched towards them. “Fucking octorocks.” Teru grumbled.

Link grabbed his bow and readied to return fire at the blue squid-like fiend. After another attack hit the trunk of the palm tree Link peaked out and sniped the nuisance into its next life.

“Thank the Goddess, I hate those annoying shits.” Teru sighed in relief.

“Same, I’d rather get my head bashed in by a lynel.” Link added.

Teru snorted, “No kidding, right?”

Link felt relieved to see the young man smile but it didn't stay for very long and Teru recomposed his mask of indifference. He dusted himself off of nonexistent debris and was ready to continue forward but something else caught his eye.

“Oh great.”

Link looked in Teru’s direction and saw a familiar-looking lanky figure trotting in the air just a few meters away from them.

“Is that a wizzrobe?” Link asked, recognizing the white garb that cloaked the spindly prancing creature.

“Yeah, a thunder wizzrobe. See it’s stupid little wand?”

Link identified the gleaming jagged instrument in the creature's long black fingers as its wand.

“It can summon lightning with that so don’t just throw yourself at it.” Teru warned.

“Right.”

Link assessed his arsenal. He had a wooden bow, a spiked wooden club, and a traditional soldier’s shield, all in all, an appropriate triad of weaponry to avoid becoming a human lightning rod. Perhaps now was a good a time as any to use his ice arrows he had been saving. He drew his bow. The frosty glint of the arrowhead shimmered as he focused on his target.

_Thwish!_

“Damn it.”

“Is that the best you can aim!?” Teru yelled.

“Give me a break he won’t stop moving!”

The wizzrobe vanished from sight with only a high-pitched cackle ringing in the air. Like ripples of water, several glowing circles made their way closer to Link. Unsure of what would come Link readied another arrow. Then suddenly the spellcaster popped out of the ether and flung a ball of electricity towards Link. Thankfully it was slow enough for Link to avoid, but while he did the monster disappeared once more.

“Come out and fight you coward!” Link taunted, hoping to provoke the slippery bastard to rear his pointy head.

“I don’t think it’s as dumb as it looks.” Teru called out.

Link kept his eyes on the glowing circles while holding his shield up, bracing for the inevitable. The wizzrobe appeared behind him throwing another ball of electricity at him. Link narrowly missed getting hit but his foe continued its assault popping in and out of existence. Trying to catch Link off guard but as the fight dragged on Link picked up its pattern, improving his evasive maneuvers with every minute that passed. However, his enemy was also learning to keep its distance from Link lest it wanted to meet the hard end of his club. Unable to make any headway with its attacks the frustrated monster twirled its rod in the air and summoned an electric chuchu to its side. The yellow gelatinous monster noticed Teru hiding behind a budding palm and undulated its way towards him. It didn’t seem to pose much of a threat, that is until it took a daring leap and landed close to its target.

“Get back!” Link’s heart sank as he recalled the monster’s ability to expel its electric energy from its body and out into a large radius.

Heeding Link’s warning Teru bolted away just in time, “Don’t take your eyes off the wizzrobe, I can handle this little electric turd.”

Just then the wizzrobe began to chant and skirt about. Its rod glowed brightly with energy and in a manner of seconds the sky turned dark and a loud rumble boomed above them.

_KRWASH!_

Lighting rained down onto the forest floor. While Link ran to avoid getting struck his palms were starting to get sweaty, things were getting out of hand he had to end it quickly. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Teru hurling rocks at the chuchu but the damage it did to the monster was so minuscule it didn’t deter it from continuing to attack his comrade. The slime sent out another burst of electric energy. Teru quickly moved out of range of the attack. After its little outburst Link decided he wasn’t going to risk the chuchu getting one up on Teru, so he threw his club at the slime before it could recharge, causing it to splatter into small globs of electrified jelly.

“Look out!” Teru cried.

While Link had taken out the chuchu his other enemy had summoned another annoying minion, flapping its yellow bat-like wings less than a foot away was an electric keese. It zapped Link from behind causing him to drop his shield.

_Thwsh!_

Link would’ve been done for if it weren’t for Teru’s quick thinking. The Yiga had thrown Link’s club to knock out the keese before it dove in to finish off the young Hylian. Unfortunately, his club had broken into pieces from the impact and the wizzrobe was still hot on his tail. In a moment of panic Link ran for his life and abandoned his shield wherever it may have fallen. The situation was looking dire. He needed to end the fight as swiftly as possible. He equipped his guardian sword, the only non-conductive weapon he had left and consumed an electricity resistance granting meat skewer. He circled back around towards the glowing rings ready to dive in with an all-out attack. As soon as the wizzrobe reappeared Link sprinted headfirst towards the monster plunging his sword into its leg. He slashed above his head desperately to finish off the fiend before it could retaliate. With great effort, he slew the fiend just in time. Its rod dropping to the floor and its body disintegrating into the air. Link picked up the rod, as far as consolation prizes went this one wasn’t too shabby. He placed it in his inventory space in the Sheikah slate and immediately looked around for Teru. Relieved to see him standing just a few feet away, Link jogged over to find that the young man had found his shield. Teru handed Link the circular piece of armament.

“Thanks.” Link said.

“Yeah, you too.” The young man replied modestly.

Link grinned softly.

“Let’s keep going while the weather is still good.” Teru said. He hastily walked past Link towards a cliffside.

Link turned around in confusion, “I thought you couldn’t climb?”

“I never said I couldn’t. You’ve seen me climb.”

Link recalled how Teru had struggled to scale the rock they climbed in the sand storm on their previous mission, “Uh, yeah. I guess I have.”

“Ok so I’m not great at it, so obviously I’m going to need some help. Which is why I brought this.” Teru gave Link a large bundle of twine. Teru pointed up above towards their destination, “You’ll climb up first and hold the rope so that I can pull myself up, ok?”

Link took the rope, looked at the top of the cliff then back to Teru. Seemed like a solid enough plan. “Mmn.” The blonde curtly nodded then began to scale the wall. It took much longer for Link to reach the top, nearly running out of stamina in the process but once he finally did, he secured the rope around his waist and threw the rest down to Teru.

“You ready?” Teru asked taking the rope in his hands.

“Yeah!” Link hollered from above widening his stance, bracing for Teru’s pull.

Teru placed on foot against the cliff and started to pull himself up the side of the cliff. As Link expected his weight and the pull of gravity dragged Link closer to the edge. Though Link dug his feet into the dirt it wasn’t enough, he acted quickly taking one of his claymores from the slate and using it to anchor him to the spot.

“You better not drop me!” Teru yelled from below.

“I won’t!” Link replied. “Not yet at least.”

“Link, I swear to Farosh!”

“I’m kidding.”

Teru made it up the cliff in record time considering the scale of his climb. They quickly made their way to the next, the tower was sure to be close now. After their second climb, the base of the tower stood just a short distance away.

“Oh, come on.” Teru groaned.

It didn’t take long for Link to spot what had bothered Teru so quickly again. Another wizzrobe was frolicking without care just at the base of the tower.

“I don’t suppose we could try sneaking past it?” Teru surmised.

“Nope. If it sees us and summons a storm, we won’t be able to climb up anyway.”

Teru let out a disgruntled sigh, “Great. Ok so-”

“I’m going to bomb the shit out of it.” Link took out a bomb without hesitation and ran off without a second thought.

“Hold on a sec-”

Link was already gone with his bomb held high, Teru wasn’t the only one fed up with the spellcasting monster. The wizzrobe caught wind of Link approaching but the boy circled around the tower, unable to see him for a moment the wizzrobe hesitated giving Link just the opening he needed to attack it from behind. Then came the onslaught of bombs. Alternating between his cube bombs and his sphere ones Link blasted the pitiful creature into oblivion and slashed it with his sword before it got a chance to retaliate.

“Wow, well ok then.” Teru said upon seeing the creature slain. With their last obstacle out of their way, the two could finally begin climbing the tower.

“Here, take this.” Link handed Teru an enduring elixir. “This should help you make it all the way to the top. I’ve got plenty so if you need more just say so.”

Teru looked at Link suspiciously but accepted the potion, “Why are you doing this?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re the only one that needs to reach the top of the tower, why waste your elixirs on me?

“Don’t you want to see how the Sheikah slate works with the tower?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t that a good enough reason?”

Teru’s cast his eyes downward, “You don’t have to be so nice all the time. We’re not friends you know.”

Link lost his smile, “I know that … but I just hoped-”

“Let’s just climb this tower and be done with this.”

When they reached the top Link took a moment to lose himself in the scenery. The view of the region was spectacular even with the haze of the humid air that made the details of the forest fuzzy. It just made exploring the vast expanse even more enticing.

“Would you mind staring off into space later?” Teru scorned.

Link pulled himself away from the view and walked over to the pedestal where Teru was waiting. Link placed the slate on the pedestal. Teru watched intently as the stone was set in place and the pedestal illuminated with orange light. On one side of the tower, the bright blue glow of the Sheikah technology revealed a circular emblem on the floor of the tower. Then came the single drop of blue liquid to infuse the slate with the map of the region. Link glanced over to Teru who looked like he was going to pop a blood vessel from sheer awe. It was done in a matter of seconds and then Link took back the slate.

“Well, that’s it.”

“That’s it?!”

“Yeah.”

“Let me see that slate.” Teru looked confounded, he couldn’t believe all that flourish for just one piece of a map. “What are the blue icons? Shrines you’ve been to?” He asked placing the map’s cursor on one of them.

“Yeah and towers.”

“What happens if you click them?”

It hadn’t occurred to Link he could select the icons with his cursor, so he did out of curiosity. Suddenly his skin began to glow with the same blue radiant light of the Sheikah technology and he vanished.

Link hadn’t a clue to what just happened but suddenly he found himself back at the Kay Noh shrine near the Gerudo desert. But how could that have been possible, unless? Link reopened the map, and this time selected the Faron tower. Once again, his body became illuminated in blue light and he was back standing before Teru at the top of the tower.

“What the hell did you just do?!” Teru looked utterly mortified.

“I was, I think I went to one of the other shrines and came back here?”

“Those servile geniuses,” Teru said with a smile accompanied by lowered eyebrows, “They created a teleportation system!” He ran up to the emblem where Link had reappeared, “Could you imagine the kinds of things we could do with this technology?”

Link couldn’t help but feel a little unsettled by Teru’s enthusiasm, “We could get back home a lot faster, I guess.”

Teru chuckled softly, “That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Being able to travel huge distances in a manner of minutes is an incredibly powerful tool. Whole civilizations thrive or die just on how well they can control their ability to move themselves and resources but also information.”

“That sounds, really good.” Link said very unsurely.

“It’s not just good, it could very well put us in the position to govern all of Hyrule. Could you imagine that? No more hiding in the desert, we could rule, and we could live like kings too!”

“Wow, I hadn’t thought of that.” Link admitted.

Teru scoffed at him, “Of course you didn’t. All you’re good for is swinging your sword around like a bokoblin looking for its next target practice.”

Link angrily pointed his finger at Teru, “Hey I can-”

Teru raised his voice with equal contempt, “Why were you even given the slate in the first place if you don’t even have the capacity to use it to its fullest potential?”

“Because... Master Kohga named me his successor.”

Teru looked at Link in shock.

“I didn’t ask for the slate, he gave it to me.”

“You? Clan leader? Of all the, you don’t know the first thing about being a leader!”

“You don’t think I know that? I don’t want to be the next chief but Master Kohga... he expects me to be-”

“Oh yeah, taking orders even though you’re against them shows great promise the leader you’ll be.” Teru sneered.

“I can’t just not-”

“You can! Of course, you can! You’re just going to force yourself to live your life even if it's not what you want just because that’s what Master Kohga wants? And you wonder why I say you’re pathetic.” Teru turned away from Link, sickened by the sight of his pitiful face.

“You’re right. I… I don’t want any of this.” Link dropped the stone tablet onto the floor.

Teru turned around to see Link sitting at the ledge of the tower with his legs dangling in the air. He picked up the slate, checking for cracks but it had remained intact despite the careless handling. He huffed angrily and began walking back towards the climbable mesh that was the wall of the tower they had climbed up. He stopped halfway and looked over to Link who still sat idly on the ledge. He sighed deeply before walking back to sit next to the blonde. For a long while, they sat in silence watching as the sun inched closer to the horizon.

“So what? You’re just gonna mope here all night long?”

Link stared blankly.

“Look it’s your life so do what you want with it.”

“But that’s the thing. I don’t know what I want, so how can I say no to him when I don’t even know if there’s anything else for me?”

“Ugh! Do you even hear yourself? It doesn’t matter if you don’t know. Forcing yourself to go through with it won’t just be bad for you, it’ll be bad for everyone.”

“I-I know but just can’t.”

“What can’t you do? Say no?”

Link nodded.

Teru rolled his eyes, “Why the fuck not?!”

“I don’t know, because maybe … I don’t want to let him down.” Link sighed.

“Oh please, he’s a grown ass man. He can take care of himself. So what if you don’t become clan leader, big deal. He’ll live. We’ll all live. You’re not letting down anyone by making your own decision. Got it!?”

Link stared back at Teru with wide eyes.

“Here take your slate and don’t drop it again.” Teru stood up to leave, “And this doesn’t make us friends either. I just can’t stand to see you make such a stupid mistake that will make my life worse too.”

The boy couldn't help but let a small grin spread onto his face.

“Hey wait.” Link stood up before the other started going down the tower, “Let’s use the paraglider to get down.”

“But there’s two of us.”

“We can each hang on from one side.” Link suggested.

Teru shook his head, “It’s not that simple, we need to displace our weight evenly or else instead of gliding we’ll be crashing.”

“Ok then, give me your stuff I’ll put it in the slate.” Link pointed to Teru’s large pack.

“Actually, I think it’s you who needs to lighten their load. You definitely weigh more than me.”

Link looked at himself confused, “But you’re taller than me how can I weigh more than you?”

“Probably because you eat like a fat ass all the time.” He said crossing his arms.

“Hey, I’m not fat.” Link frowned.

“I said ‘like’ one. Anyway, I was kidding, you have way more muscle mass than me ergo more weight.”

“Oh.” Link understood yet still felt self-conscious of his body.

“Just pass me your sword and shield that should be enough.”

Link complied then held out the paraglider for Teru to take hold of his side.

“On the count of three, we jump, ok?”

Link nodded.

“One. Two. Three!”

They lept off the tower together, for a second Link was afraid they’d drop to their deaths but then the draft was caught in the sail and gently carried them down. He turned to look at Teru and saw the young man’s face furrowed with fear.

“Don’t tell me you’re surprised it worked?”

“Of course not, I wouldn’t have jumped hundreds of feet in the air if I wasn’t absolutely sure I wasn’t going to die. I just had that thought of what if, you know?”

Link chuckled, “Yeah, I do.”

They glided over the enormous palms that covered the land like a fertile green blanket. As they descended, they steered towards the Lake Floria bridge for a safe landing. They both sighed in relief and then Teru returned Link’s things back to him.

“Weird the slate hasn’t found any new shrines yet.” Link noted scratching his head.

“Didn’t you turn off the sensor before we got here?” Teru asked raising his eyebrow.

Link’s face went blank, “Oh.”

“You forgot to turn it back on didn’t you.” Teru brought his hand to his forehead.

“Uh,” Link fumbled with the slate trying to quickly correct his mistake.

Teru sighed despondently.

“There!”

“Well it’s not going to do us much good now it’s almost sunset.”

Link remembered Master Kohga’s order to return at the assigned time, “We can look for some tomorrow then.”

“Sure.” Teru shrugged.

They began to walk towards the stable which was only a few yards off in the distance when the slate rang loudly alerting them of the nearby shrine.

“Or we can find one right now I guess.” Teru corrected.

As they got closer to the stable Link noticed how the sensor’s signal got stronger or weaker simply depending on which direction he was facing. The more he walked the further the sensor guided them past the stable and all the way to the cliff that bordered the lodge. The wall where the signal was strongest was noticeably cracked so Link took out a bomb. A hidden cave laid just beyond the fissure perhaps. He waved at Teru to step back, placed the bomb on the ground, and skidded out of range before detonating his explosive.

_Boom!_

The rock crumbled and revealed a shrine resting inside the small cave. Link promptly went to the pedestal at the shrine’s entrance and activated it. When he turned to look back at Teru he saw a familiar face making his way towards them from the stable.

“Master Kohga!” Link hopped off the shrine’s foyer and giddily ran up to show off his new discovery.

“You made it back before sundown,” Kohga welcomed Link into an embrace with one arm. With his dominant hand, he raised Link’s chin directing his cerulean eyes directly towards him, “ **Good boy.** ” He said softly.

Link lost himself for a moment in his master’s praise, “I uh,” He shook his head, “I mean we. We discovered the slate can teleport us to the shrines and towers! So now we can come here whenever we want.”

“You can teleport multiple people at once?” Kohga asked.

“Well, I’m not sure if we can do that. We haven’t tried it.” Link looked to Teru.

“We won’t know till we try but either way we should still get plenty of use out of it.” Teru confirmed.

“I look forward to your next discovery then. I take it you’ll want to go into the shrine now?” Kohga guessed.

“Yes . . . Is there something you wanted us to do first?” Link asked.

“No, nothing like that. I’ll let you enter the shrine. But I have something for you, so don’t keep me waiting too long, alright?” He gave Link a kiss on the cheek.

“Ok, I won’t.” The boy said lightly blushing.

Business was the same as usual in the shrine. With the use of the runes Link made his way to obtain every treasure chest before reaching the monk on his dais. While Teru took note of the unique design of the shrine and the stone slabs that were key to gaining access to the upper levels of the shrine. They completed their quest in practically no time at all and headed back to the stable soon after.

“So, when do you plan on telling him?” Teru asked causally.

“Tell who what?” Link looked at Teru confused.

Teru rolled his eyes.

“Oh… um. I guess later. There’s no rush, right?”

“As long as you don’t wuss out, I guess it's fine.”

They walked towards the stable when Link spotted Master Kohga and the others gathered around the outdoor cooking pot. Link couldn’t help himself from letting a dopey smile spread across his face as he watched Kohga from afar.

“You’ve got to be the most helpless sap I’ve ever seen.” Teru sighed.

Link ran his hand through his hair looking away to hide his embarrassment.

“For your sake, I hope he doesn’t get bored of you.”

Link was taken aback by Teru’s ominous words, “What does that mean?”

“It means you don’t know him like I do.”

Before Link could ask another question Teru quickened his pace and took a seat next to Jinsai around the fire. Link took the only other empty seat next to Master Kohga whom handed him a bowl of soup. Link took the bowl hesitantly.

“Don’t worry Jin made it not me.” Kohga reassured.

“Oh.” Link took a spoonful now with more confidence, “Wow this is really good! You made this Jin?”

“Yeah, I sometimes help Kohma with the cooking.”

“What did you use?” Link asked as he eagerly slurped up the soup.

“Pheasant and some herbs, I’m glad you liked it.”

“So, what’s this about teleporting?” Ridah interjected.

“The slate lets me teleport to the shrines and towers.” Link answered.

“In just a matter of minutes.” Teru added.

“For real? So, if we give you all the bananas to store in the slate you could take them back to the hideout in just a few minutes?” Endai postulated.

“Yeah, I’d say so. There’s a shrine pretty close to the hideout.”

“But what about the rest of us?” Ridah inquired.

“We’ve yet to test it but I don’t think the slate can teleport more than one person at a time.” Teru replied.

“What makes you think that?” Jinsai asked.

Teru casually gestured to the slate with his spoon, “Simple, the slate doesn’t seem to be functioning at full capacity.”

“Is it broken?” Ridah tilted her head.

“Not broken, but it seems to be missing some of its functions.” Teru concluded.

“Hmmm,” Endai rubbed his chin, “Well even if we all can’t travel together. If Link delivers everything we collect that would still put us ahead of schedule by a few days. So…”

“Oooo! Can we take a detour then?” Ridah asked excitedly.

“A vacation does sound nice.” Kohga mused.

“Lurelin Village isn’t too far from here.” Endai suggested.

“Yes! Please Master Kohga can we go?” Ridah pleaded.

Kohga smirked mischievously, “Weeeeeeeeell,” Kohga turned to Link, “I don’t mind but, it’ll be up to Link to decide.”

“Hu?” Link spilled some of his soup on his tunic; caught off guard by the sudden exchange in authority.

“Link please you gotta!” Ridah cried.

“Yeah, come on man.” Endai pressed.

“It has been a long time since I’ve gotten a break, I would also like to go.” Jinsai said shyly.

Link looked to Teru.

“Don’t look at me, it’s your decision… but we might find some more shrines, so there is that.” He said finishing his broth.

Link looked back and forth between all the beseeching faces of his clanmates. He felt himself shrinking under the pressure of their gazes, “Well if it’s what everybody wants.”

“Yay! This is going to be so much fun!” Ridah shouted with unbridled elation.

“But you’ll have to finish collecting by tomorrow.” Kohga added.

“Tomorrow?!” Endai wailed in distress.

“If we want to make the trip worth our while we should finish the mission early.” Kohga reasoned.

“Ugh! Fine, we can do it! Right, Endai?” Ridah slapped Endai’s back.

Endai groaned at Ridah's rough encouragement, “Yeah sure, we can do it. Just stop hitting me!”

“Then its settled, to Lurelin Village we go.” Kohga declared.

The Yiga enjoyed the rest of the evening eating and chatting untill their stomachs were content. After about an hour they all returned to the stable. Teru and Jinsai went to bed early, while Endai and Ridah stayed up playing a few rounds of cards with a couple of other travelers. That just left Link and Master Kohga. The boy yawned, he was just about ready to call it a night.

"I have a surprise for you." Kohga said taking Link's hand and guiding him to their bed.

"What is it?" He asked charmed to see Kohga so excited.

“Close your eyes.” Kohga instructed.

Link took a seat on the bedside and did as he was told.

“Hold out your hands.”

Link obliged. He felt the sturdy weight of fabric being placed into his hands.

“Open them.”

Link was astonished by the sight of a brand-new red-wine tunic with green accents and a pair of beige trousers. “What’s this?” He said in awe.

“It’s a gift.” Kohga sat down on the bed with Link.

“But for what?”

“Do I need a particular reason to give you gifts?” Kohga smiled.

“No, I just didn’t expect this. This is, I love it. Thank you, Kohga.” He’d never get used to saying his name without blushing he reckoned.

“Try it on. I want to see how it looks.”

Link hesitated. He looked around the stable, all the residents were either sleeping or occupied. If he was quick no one would notice him changing he rationalized. Not that there were any rules against changing clothes in the stable, still he felt self-conscious doing so. He pulled his tattered old shirt above his head and pulled the rest off of his arms. His face became more flushed when his eyes met Kohga’s who was content to just watch silently. He stood up and put the new tunic on then briskly removed his old dirty brown pants off. He hopped on one leg while he tried to quickly pull the fabric up on each leg. Finally, he buttoned up his trousers and patted down the fabric, feeling how the light cloth fit him snugly.

“How do I look?” Link gave himself a slow turn for Kohga to see him from all sides.

Kohga stood up. He placed his hands on Link’s hips and grazed his lips against his jawline, “Like a million rupees.” He pulled Link in close, moving one hand up to the small of his back and the other moved down to cup his ass. The boy gasped involuntarily from the other’s touch. He held fast onto Kohga’s arms as the man began to kiss him possessively and igniting sparks in his chest. The two groaned softly as desire took hold of their bodies.

_…you don’t know him like I do._

Suddenly Link pulled away.

“Are you going to play hard to get again?” Kohga teased still working his way along Link’s neck.

Link remained silent for a moment as an unsettling feeling took hold of him, “How long have you known Teru?”

Kohga curbed his advancement, “What?”

“Teru, how long have you known him?” Link repeated with more firmness.

Kohga eased his hold of Link. He eyed the boy carefully, “That’s a rather silly question. I’ve known him as long as any other member of the clan, which is practically all my life.”

Link considered the answer he’d been given. It made sense of course but something was still wrong. He turned away and walked out of the stable.

“Link, where are you going?” Kohga chased after him.

Link broke into a short sprint then stopped when he reached the thick wall of a palm’s stump. He placed his hands against it vacillating between deciding to stay there or keep running. But Kohga caught up to him before he could decide.

“Why do you act differently with Teru?” Link said slowly as he turned to face Master Kohga.

“What are you talking about?” Kohga looked bewildered.

Link’s mind was racing, trying to recount all the times Kohga and Teru had interacted with one another. He wasn’t crazy, right? There was something there, right?

“What’s with all these questions?” Kohga said coming within arm’s length away from Link.

Link looked to his side, “Teru told me… I don’t know you as well as he does.”

Kohga scoffed, “Well of course you don’t. Did he forget you have amnesia?”

Link shook his head, “No, he said it, the way he said was like, like he…” Link’s eyes widen, “Did he? Did you two date each other?”

Kohga’s eyebrows became raised and his eyes widen, “Oh, so that’s what this is about.” He took a half step back and ruffled the hair on the back of his head, “We used to work closely with one another for a time, but we never dated. But… we did fool around. Is that what’s-”

Link felt as if a stone had been dropped into the pit of his stomach, “So, you had sex with him?”

Kohga rolled his eyes, “Yes, I had sex with him. For Ganon’s sake, Link don’t be such a prude!”

The boy flinched, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You want me to tell you about _every_ man I’ve had sex with? Is that what you want?” Kohga snapped sarcastically.

Link’s posture became demure, “So when you get bored of me, you’ll just move onto someone else.”

“Is that what Teru told you?”

Link remained silent.

Kohga gently turned Link’s chin to look at him, “I _love_ you Link. Teru is just saying those things to you because he’s jealous that I never felt the same way about him as I do for you.”

Link averted his eyes.

Kohga sighed, “You don’t believe me?”

“It’s just…” Link trailed off not knowing what to say.

“I _never_ loved him. I’ve never loved anyone, but you Link. I never showed him the affection I’ve shown you. I swear to you that is the truth.”

Link pulled Kohga’s hand away from his face, “I need time to think… by myself.”

A small frown formed on Kohga’s lips, but it disappeared as quickly as it had formed. He nodded, “I hope you know how much this hurts me, but for your sake… I’ll let you sleep alone tonight.”

Link stood in silence. He felt guilty for leaving his master without a bed, but he knew by now there was no point in arguing with him. He simply nodded in return, “Goodnight.” He returned to the stable but before he went in he looked back, but Kohga was gone.

He laid down and pulled the covers over himself, but they felt cold and brought him no comfort. He closed his eyes and waited for sleep to numb him.

Link didn’t sleep very well throughout the night. He kept waking up in the middle of it due to a nightmare he kept having. Only once he woke up, he couldn’t remember what he’d been dreaming of, probably for the best that he didn’t. By the time the sky began to show the first traces of daylight, he’d decided sleeping was a lost cause and set out instead to look for a shrine using the Sheikah sensor.

He made his way onto the great Floria Bridge where he spotted a pinwheel that he hadn’t noticed the first time he passed the bridge. As he approached it, he heard the hollow chime that emanated from the pinwheel, indicative that a korok was nearby. When he was just a few paces away from the pinwheel three targets popped up into view. They made for good target practice and after he got all three the korok revealed itself and cheered him for a job well done. The korok’s chipper little voice brought a smile to Link’s face and it helped him feel more optimistic for the oncoming day.

“Hey, there he is.”

Link turned around and saw Endai walking towards him. Teru came jogging behind him a few paces back.

“We’re heading out to collect and we decided it’d be better if we split up to cover more ground. Master Kohga, Ridah, and Jin are taking that side,” He pointed to the direction of the stable, “And we’ll collect whatever’s left on that side.” He said pointing to the other end of the bridge.

“Oh, ok.”

"Is something wrong?" Endai had grown used to seeing the blonde with more pep that now his blank expression seemed odd.

"Nope. I'm fine." Link assured forcing a smile.

“Let’s get going don’t want to get caught in a storm, right?” Teru said catching up to them.

And with that, the three moved quickly to the other side of the Floria Bridge. As they approached the Ebara forest the Sheikah sensor sounded off. Link ignored it for the time being and stayed focused on the task at hand. There would be other chances to explore Lake Floria but a visit to Lurelin Village he couldn’t afford to miss out on. They combed the forest for every last stalk of bananas as quickly as they could. Even raiding a nearby bokoblin camp proved fruitful. But by noon the rain began to come pouring down.

“We better head back, it’s going to last several hours.” Link told his comrades.

“What makes you so sure?” Teru asked.

“The Sheikah slate has a weather thing, I hadn’t realized that’s what it was since back home there isn’t really much, well weather.”

“Oh yeah, I see what you mean.” Endai said leaning over Link to see the Sheikah’s weather indicator.

“Alright then, the others will probably do the same.” Teru shrugged.

They arrived back at the Lakeside stable in just a few minutes but Ridah, Jinsai, and Master Kohga were nowhere to be seen.

“Think they’re ok?” Link worried aloud to Endai.

“Yeah, they’re probably going to try to wait out the storm for a while. But once they realize it’s gonna be a while, they’ll come back.” Endai reassured.

“Hey Link, wanna try seeing if the slate can teleport more than one person?” Teru asked.

“Sure. Where should we try going?”

“Anywhere it doesn’t matter.”

“Ok, so…” Link held out the Sheikah slate to Teru, “I guess just hold on to one side of it.”

Link selected his destination; the slate began to glow but then stopped. A message appeared on the slate’s screen.

_Error…_

“Figures.” Teru grumbled heading for the cover of the stable.

“Hey, could I talk to you?” Link asked timidly.

“About what?” Teru inquired with a suspiciously arched brow.

“It’s about what you said yesterday. About Master Kohga.” Link said almost in a whisper.

“Sure.” Teru looked unsurprised.

They walked to the cave where’d they’d found the Shai Utoh shrine just the day before.

“So?” Teru gestured his arm flippantly.

“You and Master Kohga… you two were together.”

Teru crossed his arms, “Is that your question?”

“What happened between the two of you?”

Teru stared straight back at Link with cold eyes, “He told me he loved me, until one day he didn’t”

Link remained silent absorbing Teru’s words. He’d expected Teru to act more evasive towards his question. The fact that he answered him so plainly left him feeling raw.

“Th-that’s not what he said.” Link tried hiding the fear in his voice.

“He’ll say whatever he needs to say to keep you around. That’s what he did with me. It’s what he’ll do to you if you’re not careful.”

Link couldn’t hold Teru’s steely gaze. How could he say that about Master Kohga?

“Why’re you telling me this now?” Link dared to look back into Teru’s eyes, only for him to now be the one who turned away. “I’ve only ever tried to be friends with you, but you’ve always been a jerk to me. Why try acting like you care now that I’m-”

“Because you’re just a stupid kid and you have no idea what you’re getting into!” Teru spat with a grimace as vile as his tone.

“Y-you’re, you're just jealous,” Link reproached defensively.

Teru scoffed.

“He left you and now you’re jealous because he’s with me, is that it?”

“You know, you’re right. I don’t care what happens to you, so go ahead date him, fuck him, do whatever, you’re the one who’s going to end up paying for it anyway.” Teru shoved Link aside and stormed out of the cave.

As forecasted, the storm continued without respite. Lightning continuously crashed near the stable making the wait for Master Kohga and the other Yiga nerve-wracking. Endai had done his best to keep Link from going out into the storm out of desperation. He tried his best to keep the blonde occupied with a game of cards, however, Link’s worry proved more distracting against Endai’s best attempts to ease the young Hylian’s mind.

Finally, after an hour an unusual but loud rumble startled the whole stable into silence. Every person had stopped whatever they were doing and looked to one another, wondering in unison if they hadn’t been the only one that heard the ominous noise. The sound was heard again, more clearly now that the whole room had turned silent. It sounded as though a building had collapsed from a far distance. Link jumped to his feet and ran outside to search for the origin of the boom. Endai and several other patrons did the same their morbid curiosity outweighing their desire to stay dry. Link followed the sound; whatever it was it couldn’t have been a good sign. As he got closer to the bridge the booming grew louder, and though the torrential rain made seeing beyond the bridge difficult he spotted movement on the other side of the falls. He took out the slate to get a better look at what seemed like a glowing rock moving about on one of the cliffsides of the three waterfalls that divided the Floria Falls into three large cascades.

Link’s blood turned cold, it was Master Kohga kneeling on the ground and a stone talus lumbering its way towards him. Without a second thought Linked searched for the quickest way to the other side of the falls. He sprinted towards where the divide between the cliffs was smallest and lept his way up to the nearest palm tree. He jumped off and glided to the other side then ran faster than he’d ever had. He felt the ground shake as he got closer. Lightning kept thundering down, but he dared not even flinch for every second was a precious moment that he couldn’t afford to waste. He created pillar after pillar of ice with his cryonis rune to cross the river to where he saw the talus thrashing its gigantic boulders for hands around the clearing. Link prayed to every god he knew that he wouldn’t be too late.

From across the clearing, he saw Ridah fire with her bow at the stone giant. The talus retaliated by throwing a colossal boulder her way which she narrowly missed by ducking behind an old ruined statue. Master Kohga aimed his own volley of arrows at the talus to draw it away from Ridah only to have it turn back to him. Link ran to Kohga’s side grabbing Kohga’s arm without warning and helping him up.

“Link? What’re you?”

“We don’t have time for this Master, move!” Link urged, helping Kohga hobble forward.

Ridah shot another round of arrows right on the glowing stone that sat atop the talus’s main body, stunning it and giving them just enough time to make it to the river.

“I’m out of arrows!” She yelled from the other side.

“Ridah get out of here! We’ll be fine, I promise!” Link yelled. He turned to Kohga, “Can you swim?”

“I think so.”

“Good.”

Link pulled Master Kohga and himself into the river letting the rushing water push them along the strong current and down the waterfall. Finally, out of the talus’s reach. After plummeting several feet into the water they breached for air and slowly swam for the closest sign of shore.

“Link! Master Kohga!”

Far off from where the buttress roots held the bridge high up above them, Link saw Jinsai on a raft waving towards them. Jinsai paddled toward them as fast as he could. Then when they met halfway, he helped them onto the raft and ferried them across the lake.

“Master, are you bleeding?” Link hovered over Kohga checking for any cuts.

“No, just a sprain.” Kohga assured the boy.

“We need to get you to an infirmary right now.”

“It’s ok Link, I’ll be fine. I just need to rest my foot.”

“No." Link said firmly, "I’m sending you back to the hideout.” He booted up the slate and readied it to send Kohga back to the shrine closest to the hideout. Link handed Kohga the slate trying desperately to hide the trepidation in his voice, “Let me do this do this for you, when your foot’s been taken care of came back to us, ok?"

Kohga stared back at terrified blue eyes, “Alright. I’ll be back soon, I promise.” He caressed Link’s cheek and then dematerialized into strands of blue energy.

Link let out a heavy sigh.

“Link are you going to be alright?” Jinsai asked worriedly.

“Yeah. I’ll be ok.”

After meeting with the others to check they were alright Link returned to the shrine inside the cave to wait for Master Kohga’s return. He sat on the smoothed earthen colored stone and leaned against the moss-covered pedestal of the shrine. Eventually, the storm died down and Link dozed off where he sat.

A warm hand roused him from sleep. Link opened his eyes and saw Master Kohga crouching over him.

“You saved me again.” His voice was as tender as his touch.

A single tear rolled out of Link’s eye.

“Oh no, no tears my sweet boy. I’m here now.” He wiped away the teardrop with his thumb.

“I’m sorry for being angry. I-I should’ve been there with you.” Link leaned into Kohga’s hand.

“No, no. There’s nothing to be sorry for. I should’ve told you from the start about my past with Teru. It was unfair of me to keep that from you.” Kohga kissed the boy’s wet cheek.

Link looked down sullenly. Unease still remained lodged in his heart like a stubborn thorn. It was small but that made it all the more difficult to get rid of. “Why didn’t you just tell me? You always tell me to be honest, so why weren’t you?”

“I didn’t want you to feel burdened.” Kohga let go of Link’s cheek and curled his fingers around Link’s hands, “I was afraid if you knew you’d start to constantly compare yourself to him and I didn’t want that for you especially since you both would be working together... I had hoped that maybe you two could’ve gotten a fresh start and gotten along.”

“Teru didn’t seem to leave much room for that.” Link said glumly. Link intertwined his fingers with Kohga, “I tried. I really wanted us to get along. But…”

“It’s not your fault Link. He’s let himself go blind with bitter jealousy.”

“I know, I just wish. I dunno.”

Link thought back to the moments he’d shared with Teru. There were good ones, fleeting instances of the two of them actually sharing a genuine connection. It seemed tragic that those moments may have been the extent of their friendship. Especially since if it hadn’t been for Teru Link might’ve not realized his duty to Kohga was not to be his successor.

“Master, I have something else to tell you… I can’t be your successor.”

“Why is that?”

“Because,” Link hesitated, he wished he knew what words to use that wouldn’t leave him so exposed, but his heart was caught in his throat and if he didn’t say anything now, he was sure he wouldn’t be able to later, “I can’t… I can’t live without you. I don’t want to live if it's without you.” The few teardrops then turned into streams, “I want to be the one who keeps you safe… I want to stay by your side, always.”

Kohga tucked a strand of Link’s golden locks behind his ear. “What did I ever do to deserve you? Of course, you may. Nothing would make me happier.” Kohga closed the distance between their lips.

Link melted into Kohga’s kiss. He wrapped his arms around the other’s muscular neck and a moment later he felt himself being lifted off the ground.

“Master your foot!” Link said anxiously.

Kohga chuckled, “No worries, thanks to you Mito was able to fix me up real good. Even gave me some pain killers.”

A cold breeze blew into the cave sending a shiver up Link’s spine.

“Let’s go back to the stable, I wouldn’t want you to catch a cold.” Kohga said giving the boy a peck on his forehead.

Upon entering the stable, Kohga was surrounded by his other subordinates. Ridah, Endai and Jinsai all came together for a group hug while Teru stood at just a small distance away from the huddle of Yiga.

“Master! I’m so sorry! It’s all my fault you got hurt!” Ridah cried.

“It’s such a relief to see you’re alright sir.” Jinsai added.

“Honestly Ridah, after the stunt you pulled, you deserve no less than a lashing.” Endai condoned.

“Easy there all of you. I’m quite alright now.” Master Kohga reaffirmed.

Ridah’s lower lip quivered, “No, he’s right. I was too reckless, trying to get more bananas that I walked in on a talus. I should’ve known better so; I deserve any punishment you give me.” She bowed her head deeply towards Master Kohga.

Kohga rubbed his chin, “Any punishment?”

Ridah nodded.

“In that case, your rations of bananas will be withheld for this month.”

“No wait, anything but that! I’ll take the lashings! Twenty no, thirty lashings!”

Kohga laughed, “I’m joking Ridah,” He ruffled her hair affectionately.

“Master you’re too kind.” She sighed in relief.

“Oh, don’t think you’re off the hook just yet. If you dare to act so foolishly again, I’ll give you worse than a lashing on the spot, you hear me?”

“Yes sir.” She sighed despondently.

“How are the rest of you faring?”

“No complaints here Master Kohga.” Replied Jinsai.

“More or less the same, it’s been boring pickpocketing from such meager travelers.” Endai muttered.

Kohga looked over to his moody Yiga who’d kept his distance, “What about you Teru?”

“Glad to see you’re ok, Master Kohga.” He said with a hollow expression.

Kohga just returned a smile and then patted Jinsai’s back, “It’s been a long day, hasn’t it? Let’s get some rest, Lurelin awaits us tomorrow.”

“Yes!” Ridah jumped excitedly only to quickly rein herself back in, “I mean, yes sir! Goodnight!” She bowed again and then scampered off to her bed.

With long yawns and heavy eyes, Endai, Jinsai and Teru followed in Ridah’s stead and bid Master Kohga and Link goodnight. Kohga took Link’s hand and gave it a chaste kiss, “Shall we?” He said with duplicitous eyes.

“Mmm.” Link agreed bashfully.

Link was extra careful laying down next to Kohga, worried he’d agitate his foot with an accidental nudge.

Kohga chuckled, “It's ok. You could kick me and I’d be fine. Mito gave me the good stuff.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea? I can let you have the bed tonight-”

“Link.” Kohga frowned.

“Ok.”

“How could you think I’d be able to feel better without you by my side?” He rubbed his hand along Link’s stomach.

Link’s heart jumped, even though he was clothed the touch sent a shiver up his spine. He imagined Kohga could easily slip his hand beneath the hem of his pants. The thought of it sent his heart racing.

“What’s got you worked up all of a sudden?” Kohga asked noticing the boy’s breathing quickened ever so slightly.

“N-nothing.” Link bit his lip.

“Reeeeeally.” Kohga intoned sardonically.

“Mhmm.”

“Look me in the eye and tell me it’s nothing.”

“It’s…”

Kohga brought his hand up to Link’s chest and massaged it. Link’s face turned bright red and he gasped longingly rendering him unable to finish his sentence.

“That’s not fair.” He whined.

Kohga leaned over the young Hylian and brushed soft cheeks with his lips, “Is hiding the truth any better?”

Link pushed away his hand and turned his back towards Kohga and pulled the blankets over his shoulder. “Stop teasing me and just let me sleep.” He pouted.

Kohga chuckled, “Alright, goodnight my little cucco.”

He gave Link a peck on his cheek and curled his right hand around Link’s waist. Kohga’s breath tickled the strands of hair on the top of the blonde’s head. He was so close that his whole body spooned him into an almost overwhelming warmth. At first, Link remained tense. His mind flashed back to a dream he had not so long ago. He waited for Kohga to move his hand, but nothing happened. Kohga remained in its designated position.

Disappointment. Link cursed himself for feeling so disgruntled after getting what he had asked for. Alas, all he could do now was let those thoughts go and drift to sleep.

Link awoke to the feeling of Kohga’s hard member resting against his bottom. It shouldn’t have been surprising but even so the moment he’d realized it he became so flustered he felt his own dick strain against the fabric of his trousers. Carefully he untwined himself from Kohga’s grasp and left the bed as quietly as possible. With his own hard-on to deal with, Link decided to step out of the stable.

The sun had just barely peeked over the distant mountain tops and already the stable grounds were washed in a pleasant warmth and just the slightest hint of humidity in the air. Link scanned the jungle brush anxiously. Usually, back home he’d douse himself in a bucket or two of cold water that either the hideout or an inn could keep on hand due to the freezing temperatures of the desert nights. Here however it was unlikely that even at this hour the lake’s water would be chill enough to help him with his predicament. As Link turned to look back at the stable, he remembered the shrine nearby that could provide him with some much-needed privacy. He hurried to the cave to relieve himself and unbuttoned his pants as soon as he tucked himself into a corner between the side of the shrine and the wall of the cave. He sighed in relief as began to stroke himself.

“Thought you’d just come in here and pleasure yourself?”

Link gasped from feeling Kohga’s voice right in his ear; his body froze in shock at the touch of Kohga’s hands as they seized his chest possessively from behind. “Master!? I thought-”

“I was asleep? You’re not that good at sneaking you know.” Kohga smirked. He pulled Link in taut against his body, pressing his erection firmly into Link’s lower back which caused the boy to gasp tentatively. While Kohga held fast onto Link with one hand he swiftly snuck his other under Link’s tunic and snaked its way up to his pec. Both hands began to play with his pliant nipples tenuously. Link whined and squirmed but could do little to escape the man’s grasp.

“What are you so scared of? Afraid I’ll get you pregnant?” Kohga devilishly teased.

“I wasn’t born yesterday you know.” Link shot back, though not very convincingly through his flushed face.

“I can’t believe all it took for Ridah to trick you was pointing out Tano and Bireth have a kid.” He said as he continued to twist and pull on the boy’s sensitive buttons.

“H-how was I supposed to know she wasn’t lying? It was around the time I’d recently awoken from my coma.”

“And you actually asked them?”

“I-I had to find out if it was true.”

Link had to let go of his member and grab onto Kohga’s sides behind him when the man suddenly pushed his powerful leg between Link’s short thighs. Kohga leveraged the boy’s ass atop his own thigh and pressed his knee into his taint, forcing him to lean more into his large frame and gasp wearily.

“So then why are you so nervous? If it’s not that, then what is it?”

Link hesitantly phrased each of his words, “I-Its… because… I want… it.”

“Oh? And what’s wrong with that?” Kohga held his leg high up, resting his foot on the side of the cave allowing him to press more firmly into Link’s taint.

“I’m…” Link gulped, “Ashamed.”

“Why?”

Kohga’s endless teasing made Link’s cock begin to ache with need.

“Because, I really want it… _so_ much”

“Badly?”

“Mmhmm.”

“How badly do you want it love.?”

“I-I…” He stifled a moan.

“I can’t hear you, love.” Kohga trailed his tongue down the side of Link’s neck all the way to the back of his earlobe, forcing the boy to cry out in pleasure, “That’s right, show me how much you want it, Link.”

“Please, Kohga, stop.” Link gasped.

“Stop? But you’re enjoying it so much.” He rubbed the boy’s nipples aptly to draw out another passionate groan from Link’s lips, “If you want something from me you should at least try to ask with more consideration.”

“Please, Master Kohga, please let me go. _Please._ ”

“Alright then.” Kohga put his foot down and released the boy from his hold. Link sighed in relief but unbeknownst to him, Kohga had other plans.

“ **Fall.** ” _Snap!_

Link’s eyes shut and his body slumped into Kohga who held him upright.

The Yiga whispered seductively into Link’s ear, “ **Good boy.** Keep sinking deeper and deeper down into trance. So deep you could almost fall asleep.”

A single dainty moan escaped Link’s lips as he slipped further into Kohga’s spell. His breathing slowed and his head rolled to one side, he was at Kohga’s mercy.

“That’s right,” Kohga’s whispers were like a sickle delicately tearing away at Link’s mind, “You try so hard to pretend that what I give you isn’t what you want.”

Kohga's hand meandered down the boy’s torso, gravitating to the side of his leg, and stopped just short of his knee.

“But I know, that deep down, you’re just aching for my touch.” His hand slowly drifted to Link’s inner thigh and rubbed him perilously close to his crotch.

Link gasped desperately with need.

“And it’s alright because I want to show you, I’ll teach you how to properly beg for me to touch you. Now open your eyes. Wake up.”

Dazed by more than just grogginess, Link did his best to shake it off as he regained strength in his legs, and in turn, Kohga relinquished his hold on him.

“Take off your clothes.”

Link slowly grabbed the sleeve of his tunic but hesitated to pull the fabric any further.

“You want to be a **good boy** , don’t you? And good boys **obey.** So, **obey** your master. Strip.”

Link was hit with little waves of submissive pleasure, but it was enough to sway him into a light daze. He pulled off his tunic, then removed his trousers heedlessly. He felt Kohga’s stare burn into him as more skin became exposed. When he got to his underwear he moved more slowly. Part of him wanted to resist. It was embarrassing being gawked at like this, but he couldn’t stop himself. The part of him that wanted to obey more than anything else felt something more. Something good? Whatever it was it was torturous and yet the more he completed his task the more he knew he couldn’t deny Kohga. Because if he did it’d be as though he were denying himself of something he couldn’t quite understand. When he tossed his drawers to the side and stood bare before Kohga he felt himself glow with modest pride. It felt good, more than good it felt right.

“ **Good boy.** Now kneel.”

Link was surprised with himself at how easily he fell to his knees. But how could he not? He’d been rewarded with his favorite words. It was like kindling, igniting his desire to submit.

Kohga waggled his finger at Link in a patronizing manner, “Now, I’m not going to lay a finger on you, not until you’ve earned it. Understood?”

Link’s eyes were only for Kohga. He hardly remembered the time or where he was, “Yes.”

Kohga crossed his arms, “You may refer to me as ‘Sir’ or ‘Master’ to show me your utmost respect.”

Guilt set in Link’s heart, the last thing he wanted Master Kohga to feel was disgraced, “Yes Sir. I’m sorry Master.”

“ **Good boy.** ”

Another flutter of arousal surged through Link. It was gradually building in ardor.

“ **Fall.** ” _Snap!_

His eyes closed. His posture declined.

“ **Fall.** ” _Snap!_

He sank deeper onto his knees. All-encompassing weightlessness increased in both his mind and body.

“ **Fall.** ” _Snap!_

Gravity took the boy’s limp limbs closer to the floor leaving him prostrating sloppily.

“You’re such a **good boy** , Link. So sweet and submissive for me. But this is just the beginning. You can show me more, isn’t that right love?” Kohga smiled wickedly. He’d been patient with Link and now it was all paying off, “You can become even more obedient, even more submissive, and even more wrapped up in pleasure. There’s no limit to your submission and there’s no limit to how much pleasure you can experience.”

Link’s fingers briefly twitched no doubt in anticipation of what Kohga had planned for him.

“So there’s no limit to what lengths you’ll go to **obey** my words. Open your eyes, come back up for me.”

Link sat back up attentively, while still on his knees. His head was swimming with the wonderful tingling of trance. Every trigger sent soft ripples of pleasure all throughout his body. And on top of that he was engulfed in Kohga’s presence, his warmth and it left him feeling deliciously floaty. Not an ounce of tension was left in his body, well except for…

He looked down at his cock, it was hard and flushed near the head. He looked back up to Master Kohga, his eyes silently pleading for relief from the heat that overwhelmed his aching cock. He wanted to ask him for something, but shame held him back. Some part of him was telling him that what he was doing was wrong. Then why? Why did he feel so good? He was naked and desperate. How had he ended up like this? It was utterly shameful.

Kohga reveled in watching Link’s internal turmoil plainly written all over the boy’s face. He didn’t have to say anything, every little expression gave Link away. How his eyebrows twitched how his lips pursed; it was all too adorable. And the best part was that from here on out it would only get better.

“Touch yourself.”

Link hated how quickly he’d followed Kohga’s command. Was he that desperate?

“Slow down,”

Link whined, he was aching with need and Kohga was going to make him endure it.

“Atta boy keep stoking but take your time. Those hands aren’t yours after all.”

The blonde gave a confused whine.

“Haven’t you noticed? You move at my will, you’ve relinquished control of your body to me boy, so those hands might as well be mine. You can imagine it can’t you? My touch teasing you, drawing out pleasure with every stroke.”

Link moaned breathlessly, his body trembled and ached even more than he’d thought was possible.

“But remember, my dear boy. You are not allowed to come until I’ve given you permission. Understood?”

“Yes, Master.”

“That’s right, you will **obey**. Even your most primal urges yield to me, your need to **obey** far outweighs your ability to come. And it’s far better this way because we can draw out even more pleasure from your body and even more from your mind. So repeat these words ‘I will **obey** ’ over and over again.”

“I will obey. I will obey. I will obey…” Link’s eyes began to roll as Kohga’s guidance further scrambled his head.

“Every time you repeat them it becomes ingrained in your mind and your body, that obedience towards me is more powerful, more pleasurable than any orgasm you could ever have.”

As Link kept repeating his mantra, he felt his arousal continue to grow. It spread like a wildfire throughout his body burning away at his ego. He lifted his head to look into his master’s eyes again, he felt ashamed again, but of course even so he couldn’t stop. Shame and pleasure began to mix together as one as he jerked himself to his master.

“That’s it, just give in to the pleasure.”

Link panted helplessly.

“You’re so cute, becoming so enraptured in arousal, and becoming so mindless. You just can’t help it.”

Link’s eyes blinked lazily. His mind was heavily fogged by desire and it just kept growing heavier and heavier.

“This is what you wanted, it must be, or you wouldn’t be so turned on, now would you?”

Link nodded in agreement. “I will obey. I will obey... I will _obey_ …” He kept up with his mantra even as his throat began to become a torrent of groans. He could feel himself coming to the edge. Without thinking he picked up the pace of his strokes. He was going to come any minute now... But he couldn’t. He wanted to come but the longer he held out the better he felt. And he couldn’t just stop even as his cock began to throb with pain. He had to keep obeying, “I will obey. I will…obey. I will _ahhh_ ”

“Let go of your cock.”

It was difficult but he managed to let go of his shaft that’d become moist with precum.

“Tease your nipples and perhaps you’ll notice that it feels even better than stroking your cock.”

Link brought his hands to his chest almost automatically. Shiver after shiver of delicious pleasure reverberated up and down his whole body. How was this even possible? This much pleasure it couldn’t be real. It was maddening.

While Link continued to tease himself, Kohga unbuttoned and loosened his pants. Link’s eyes widened at the sight of Kohga’s erect cock coming into view. He panted haphazardly. He watched intently as his master stroked himself lazily, not realizing a sliver of drool had escaped his mouth.

“You can stop repeating now. You look like you’re hungry for something.”

Link turned his head to the side but nodded. His blush deepening due to having admitted the obscene truth to his master.

Kohga leaned in, pressing his cock onto Link’s cheek. Link drowned in its musky scent and it drove him deeper into a horny daze. Kohga stepped back only to have the boy feverishly lean forward. With his right hand, Kohga nudged Link’s head, letting it rest on his thigh.

“You want my cock?” Kohga smirked.

“ _Yes,_ Master.”

“Is that right?” Kohga teased.

“Yes! Please, Master, it looks so _good._ ”

“You just want to swallow it up, don’t you? Have it buried _deep_ inside you?”

“Yes, yes, _please!_ ”

Link had forgotten his shame. All he wanted now was cock. It was all he could think about. He’d forgotten his own aching member. It didn’t matter anymore, all that mattered was his master’s cock right there in front of him.

“Well then what are you waiting for? An invitation? Go on, stuff your mouth full of my cock.”

Kohga let his hands rest to the sides, letting the boy approach at his own pace. Link buried his nose into Kohga’s crotch and began giving small licks to the shaft. Link didn’t know what he had expected, the taste was just slightly bitter and salty but nothing too awful. He wrapped his lips around the head staying mindful of his teeth, he began to suck and stroke Kohga’s length with his tongue as best he could.

“You’re really good at this, practiced with plenty of guys, have you?”

“N-no, I’ve never done this before.” The boy said flustered.

Kohga let his right-hand rest on the back of Link’s head as he went back to sucking him off.

“You don’t say? Could’ve fooled me, I guess you’re just a natural-born cocksucker hu?”

Link whined in embarrassment while the flush on his cheeks spread to the tips of his ears. Yet it hardly deterred him. Nothing could. Kohga was inside him and the act itself made him reel in so much pleasure he could hardly comprehend it.

“Ahh, **good boy.** ”

A shiver of pleasure ran down Link’s spine and cemented itself in his groin, causing his cock to throb with need again.

“You’re doing so well. You love to suck cock, don’t you?”

Link moaned approvingly.

“You don’t just love it, you need it. Every time you see cock, I bet your mind just goes blank. Like right now, your head is so full of cock you can’t think of anything else.”

Link’s eyes became glazed over with mindless lust.

“With every second that passes by, with my cock inside of you, all other thoughts are just shoved out of your head. Allowing more room for cock inside you. To take it even deeper inside of you.”

Link’s jaw became slacker, opening himself up more for Kohga to freely thrust down his throat.

_Cock. Love cock. Need more cock. More cock. More. More._

“That’s right, you **obey** cock, you worship it. You’re always ready to be a good little cock sleeve for your master!”

Kohga groaned as he forced his length to the back of Link’s throat. The boy gaged but Kohga didn’t let up. He kept Link docile by bombarding him with more pleasure.

“ **Good boy** , keep going, don’t stop.”

Link groaned his mouth was sore, his arms and his nipples ached from his nonstop teasing.

“ **Obey** and you’ll get your reward. **Obey** because you’re my **good boy** , isn’t that right?”

Though his mouth was full Link’s moaning was still loud enough to fill the cave. His whole body ached with heat. Dreaded wonderful, terrifyingly blissful heat and pain. He wanted for it to stop and at the same time, he hoped it never would.

Kohga gave another hearty groan, “When I come, you will be allowed to come. Then and only then, for my pleasure is your pleasure. And nothing else is more important than pleasing your master.”

Though Link looked like he was too far gone to have heard, Kohga knew it didn’t matter, he had trained the boy thoroughly after all. Kohga relished in the view of his precious beloved’s lust-filled eyes; he grabbed Link’s head and face fucked him to his satisfaction.

When Kohga came Link was helplessly overcome with pleasure. Kohga’s load hit the back of Link's throat but it hardly registered as his own orgasm forced him to grab hold of his master’s legs as the rest of his body shuddered fiercely. Even when Kohga released him from his cock, Link was still drowning in the glowing sensation.

They both heaved but Kohga immediately removed his beige long-sleeved undershirt and pulled it over Link. The cotton garment was huge and covered Link’s body up to his knees. Kohga then tucked his phallus away back into his trousers and kneeled to cradle Link in his arms just until the boy’s breathing became steady once more. He patted his back soothingly and cooed in his ear softly, “That’s my **good boy**. Well done, you were excellent, I’m so pleased.”

Link wailed weakly as his spent cock throbbed once more. He was so tired he was unable to move.

“Just hold onto me, we’ll get you cleaned up in just a bit.” Kohga said giving Link a soft peck on his forehead while the boy tried to cling onto his master like a babe.

Kohga grabbed all of Link’s clothes and carried him in his arms back to the stable. He saw Jinsai at the reception desk talking to the stable’s main proprietor. Once Jinsai noticed Master Kohga entering he hurried over to his side. His freckled face became wrinkled with worry at the sight of Link who appeared passed out.

“It’s alright Jin, he’s fine just a little tired.” Kohga explained before the young man got bent out of shape. “Tell the others to go on ahead. We’ll meet them there in about an hour. Just have our horses ready when I come back in a while.”

“Yes sir!” Jinsai diligently sped off to carry out Master Kohga’s order.

Kohga laid Link down on their shared bed while he grabbed Link’s slate. He stored his clothes and the rest of his belongings into the slate then collected a few herbs from his own travel pouch.

“I’ll be right back.” Kohga intoned gently to Link who looked half asleep.

Kohga returned quickly with a mug and a brown ceramic gourd. He sat Link up and brought the mug to his lips.

“Drink.”

“Hmr?” Link’s eyes slowly turned to acknowledge his master. His head was still deliriously fuzzy, and all he wanted was to shut off his senses and sleep.

“Link, I need you to drink some water right now.” Kohga said sternly.

Link grimaced at the mug. He didn’t want to drink; he didn’t want to do anything at all.

“Come now love. I need you to be good for me. Won’t you do this one little thing for me now?” He cajoled while stroking Link’s back.

“Hrrn.” The boy daintily whimpered. He felt annoyed with Kohga, but he wanted to be good. He needed to. He took the mug in his hands and drank the water Kohga gave him. Kohga poured him another serving, and he drank without a fuss.

After finishing all the water left in the gourd Kohga gave Link another kiss on his cheek and took the mug and set it down to the side of the bed, “That’s my boy, so good for me.”

Link couldn’t help but softly smile at being praised.

“Now hold onto to me again.”

Link stretched out his arms and latched them around Kohga’s neck. Kohga then swiftly scooped up the boy in his arms and carried him out of the stable. Link wondered for a moment where Kohga was taking him but even asking seemed like too much effort. He was vaguely aware of his surroundings. The sound of the Floria falls was there but distant, the light of the sun was too bright for his eyes, so he kept them open by only a slit. His perception of time was muddled at best, so at some point, he felt himself being sat down on a bouldered surface. His feet found themselves dipped in lukewarm water, so he figured that they were somewhere along the border of the lake.

“M-master…” Link whimpered distressed at the loss of Kohga’s warmth around him.

“I’m right here love.” Kohga whispered behind him, “I’m going to give you a quick bath, and then you can rest, alright?”

“Ohkmnm.” Link mumbled.

Kohga dipped the herbs he’d brought into the lake then kneeled behind Link and began to swab the soused plants along his back. He scrubbed his back gently stroking from side to side and wetting the plants as needed. He did the same with his arms, caressing them and leaving a trail of kisses as he went. Link closed his tired eyes and let Kohga rub his chest with the herbs. The way he delicately cleansed his muscles further lulled Link into a light stupor. And though a few of the leaves were slightly coarse, their balmy sweet scent assuaged him into complete complacency. And Link couldn't help but to fully sink into the sensual aura of the moment. Kohga reclined Link's back against his torso so he could better reach his lower body. And once again the warmth of Kohga’s body enveloped Link which garnered a contented sigh from the boy.

“You know this is where you belong, don’t you? Right here in my arms.” Kohga said as he rubbed the boy’s stomach.

“Mmhmm.” Link hummed sleepily.

“You don’t need anything or anyone else as long as you’re with me.”

Kohga hummed a pleasant tune while he continued to smoothly stroke Link's thighs with the suds of the herbs. Lastly, he scooped several handfuls of water and doused Link’s hair and pelvis with them. Afterward, Kohga softly patted him down with a towel.

By the time Kohga was done Link felt incredibly more refreshed and thoroughly pampered but still ever so drowsy. Kohga helped him put his tunic back on and lent him his arm for support in order for him to put on his tan colored trousers. Once Link was fully clothed, Kohga wrapped his dark grey wool cloak around Link. For a moment it occurred to Link how odd Kohga looked in his civilian disguise. Though he looked well in his pourpoint and black slacks it didn’t suit him at all.

Kohga had buttoned up his overcoat halfway when suddenly Link’s hands gently pried them away from the linen. Though his movements were slower, Kohga let Link take over fastening his buttons. Link left the last one loose and looked up at Kohga who had his eyes centered on him. They stared into each other's gaze savoring the closeness between them until finally Kohga cupped Link’s cheek and lifted him into his arms, bringing him into a passionate kiss.

“You’re mine, and you always will be.” Kohga whispered breathlessly.

Link moaned softly, as he melted into Kohga’s caress and buried his face into his neck.

Kohga carried Link back to the stable where Jinsai stood waiting outside with their horses ready to go. Kohga ordered Jinsai to tie Link’s mare to his auburn stallion’s saddle while he mounted Link and himself onto his steed together. He had Link sitting side-saddle in front of himself and held the boy close to his chest with his left arm. With a firm kick, he prodded his horse to a canter with Jinsai following closely behind. “Go ahead and sleep love, take a little nap while we ride to Lurelin.” Kohga cooed. Though Link jostled in his seat, he was too tired to complain. He closed his eyes and let himself settle into Kohga’s embrace.


End file.
